KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 — Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today announced that four Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPVs) would be closed, including Stadium Titiwangsa and the Bandar Sri Menjalara Community Hall, and two bigger venues opened to facilitate vaccine recipients there.

The coordinating minister for the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (NIP) announced the new arrangements, after mounting complaints from the public over the congestion and difficulties endured by senior citizens mostly, at the two aforementioned PPVs.

Khairy was speaking at the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force’s (CITF) virtual press conference, which was also attended by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba.

"I also would like to announce that CITF, since there has been congestion at several PPVs in Kuala Lumpur, decided to shift four general PPVs in KL to two mega-sized PPVs, which we will open in the earliest possible time,” he said.

"The PPVs which will be shifted are the Titiwangsa Stadium PPV and the Bandar Sri Menjalara Community Hall PPV. Both the PPVs or appointments at these PPVs will be moved to Mitec (Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre) on Jalan Duta-Jalan Kuching and the Mitec PPV operation would commence on Thursday, May 31.

"Those affected, who will see their appointment details re-scheduled together with the new locations, are individuals who received appointments between May 31 and June 6, either at the Titiwangsa Stadium or at the Bandar Sri Menjalara Community Hall PPV and we will notify them about the change of locations mentioned.

"Meanwhile, appointments at the Desa Tasik Sports Complex and also the Muhibbah Community Complex PPV will all be moved to the Axiata Arena PPV, at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium.”

Khairy said that the Axiata Arena PPV would begin operating on June 7 and all appointments which would be given at the PPV are new appointments.

"There are no old appointments which need to be rescheduled or moved to Axiata Arena as the appointments for these groups are not yet issued. Only those with appointments between May 31 and June 6 will be informed so that they go to the Mitec PPV and not the Titiwangsa Stadium PPV or the  Bandar Sri Menjalara Community Hall PPV. So these four PPVs, we will shut down for the comfort of the public, the disabled and the elderly who will be treated much better at the much larger, much more comfortable PPVs,” he added.

Malay Mail had previously received complaints from the public of the congestion and long waiting hours to get vaccinated, at the Titiwangsa Stadium and Bandar Sri Menjalara Community Hall PPVs.

Photos shared by complainants showed many elderly folks queuing under the scorching sun with their caregivers, with no tents for shelter or chairs to sit on while waiting for their turn.