Malaysia uses oil-derived fund to purchase COVID-19 vaccines
The Malaysian Government has issued a new emergency ordinance allowing it to use funds derived from oil and gas contributions to pay for vaccine procurement, part of efforts to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination.
A medical worker gets vaccinated against COVID-19 in Sungai Buloh town of Malaysia on March 2, 2021 (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – The Malaysian Governmenthas issued a new emergency ordinance allowing it to use funds derived from oiland gas contributions to pay for vaccine procurement, part of efforts toaccelerate COVID-19 vaccination.
The ordinance will enable thegovernment to use the 17.4 billion MYR (4.23 billion USD) under the nationaltrust fund to secure vaccines "for an epidemic of any infectiondisease", according to the law published in the federal gazette.
The trust fund, which takescontributions from state energy company Petronas and others involved inpetroleum exploitation, was set up to support infrastructure and otherdevelopment and provide federal loans to Malaysia's states.
In January, King Al-Sultan Abdullahdeclared a nationwide state of emergency to curb the spread of COVID-19, givingthe government more power to enact temporary laws without parliamentaryapproval.
Malaysian Prime Minister MuhyiddinYassin in March nearly doubled the country's COVID-19 immunisation budget to 5billion MYR with a view to helping achieve the government's target of inoculating80 percent of the country's 32 million population by December.
As of April 20, nearly 750,000people in Malaysia had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease whileabout 462,000 others are awaiting their second shots.
With nearly 382,000 cases, Malaysiahas the third highest number of COVID-19 infections in Southeast Asia,following Indonesia and the Philippines./.
Malaysia has secured a total of 66.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, enough to cover its entire population, according to a handbook setting out the country’s vaccination programme launched on February 16.
Malaysia is to issue a smart vaccination certificate to people in the country who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.
Digital COVID-19 vaccination certificates in Malaysia and Singapore are secured by blockchain technology and come with a traceability feature that tells the exact batch of the vaccine vial used for inoculation.
Malaysia’s Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin on April 12 said that the Chinese-made Sinovac is among the vaccines that will be utilised in Phase 2 of the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme scheduled to start on April 19.
In his post on social media the same day, Hun Manet said energy companies would be able to import sufficiently from other sources to meet domestic fuel and gas demands in the country.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
A medical worker gets vaccinated against COVID-19 in Sungai Buloh town of Malaysia on March 2, 2021 (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
