PUTRAJAYA: The Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry is seeking for micro entrepreneurs and informal business operations to be included in the national vaccination programme’s priority list.

       Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said those under these categories were also highly exposed to Covid-19.

       He said these business operators directly deal with the public and for the immunisation programme to be effective, sectors other than health, security and defence with similarly high level of exposure to the disease must be acknowledged.

       “This also includes the frontliners working in the economic sector such as bank employees, customer service staff, as well as petty traders selling food and beverages.

       “These groups are the ones who are closely dealing with the public, which makes them highly exposed.

       "So, they too should be given priority to get vaccinated. We hope the National Security Council can assist in this,” he said on Thursday (June 24).

       Wan Junaidi said both he and ministry secretary-general Datuk Suriani Ahmad have written to the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to arrange for vaccinations for the micro and informal business operators.

       “We will discuss with the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force on how to assist these groups to get vaccinated,” he said.

       There are currently close to two million micro and informal businesses throughout the country, which provides employment to more than seven million people.

       More than 78% of the country’s SME sector comprises micro businesses.