KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — The government is confident of meeting its target of vaccinating 89 per cent of the population in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, thus achieving herd immunity as early as August to realise the National Recovery Plan, said Federal Territories Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

He said the two Federal Territories which were centres for administrative and economic activities, had the resources and capabilities, including carrying out additional initiatives such as the mobile vaccine truck programme to expedite the vaccination exercise.

"As of June 21, the vaccination registration in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya had reached 100 per cent. In Kuala Lumpur, 56.16 per cent of the registrants had received the first dose while 10.82 per cent had completed both doses.

"In Putrajaya, 50.34 per cent of them had their first dose while 30.81 per cent were fully vaccinated,” he told a press conference conducted in a hybrid manner recently.

Under the second phase of the National Recovery Plan, which is expected to be implemented in August, the National Security Council (MKN) will issue a list that allows the re-opening of sectors based on the assessment.

"When we achieve herd immunity early, we hope the process of recovery of economic activities, government administration and commercial activities will be able to lead in the implementation of the National Recovery Plan,” he said.

He explained that the Federal Territories were on the right track and met the three threshold values set for transition to the second phase, which is having the resources to speed up the recovery process in terms of vaccination and reducing the number of Covid-19 positive cases, as well as hospital facilities.

Meanwhile, Annuar said the ministry had agreed to give a rebate of five to 10 per cent to ratepayers, involving all assets and premises, including hotels, industries and the housing sector in the Federal Territories.

Citing Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)’s total collection of RM1 billion, he said the rebate would cost between RM50 million and RM100 million, and the rebate percentage according to the categories would be detailed out later.

Annuar said owners of all residential and commercial premises in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan were allowed assessment payment deferment until December this year.

Previously, he announced that the payment of assessment could be made in instalments, and anyone who had been late in making the payment due to financial problems would not be penalised. — Bernama