PETALING JAYA: Malaysia has thanked the United States for donating one million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, scheduled to arrive today.

       Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said Wisma Putra welcomed the arrival of the vaccine contribution from the US.

       “On behalf of the government of Malaysia, I would like to once again express my sincere gratitude to my counterpart (US Secretary of State) Antony Blinken and the US government for the generous contribution of its Covid-19 vaccines,” he said in a statement yesterday.

       The contribution is from an initial batch of 80 million US-made vaccines US President Joe Biden pledged last month to share globally amid concern of the disparity in vaccination rates between advanced and developing nations.

       Malaysia is expected to be receiving a total of 12 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines this month.

       Hishammuddin said that these vaccines would greatly intensify Malaysia’s vaccination process and make meaningful progress to the ongoing rollout of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme.

       “The United States, through its embassy in Kuala Lumpur, has also been extending various assistance and contributions to Malaysia since the start of the pandemic last year, including the in-kind contribution of medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), and ICT equipment, worth US$250,000 (RM1.04mil),” he added.

       Malaysia, said Hishammuddin, was highly appreciative of the invaluable support extended thus far by the United States and hoped that these close and friendly ties would be further strengthened for the mutual benefits of both countries.

       “As conveyed earlier in my letter on June 4 to Secretary Blinken, I would also like to reiterate that Malaysia welcomes President Biden’s June 3 announcement of the United States’ expression of support for the temporary waiver of the intellectual property (IP) protection on Covid-19 vaccines,” he added.

       Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had also announced in his address to the Nikkei International Conference in May of Malaysia’s support for the IP protection waiver for Covid-19 vaccines, noted Hishammuddin.