IPOH, Aug 19 — Restaurant operators in Perak can now buy Covid-19 vaccines for their workers from the state-owned investment firm Majuperak Holdings Berhad.

Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Saarani Mohamad said the vaccines are available for sale through the state Silver Vax Programme.

He urged the restaurant owners to make the purchases if they wished to reopen for dine-in, instead of waiting for the government’s free vaccination programme through the MySejahtera application, which might take months.

"If they want to start their businesses fast and safely, then they can contact Majuperak Holdings to get their workers vaccinated via the Silver Vax programme.

"But of course, they need to pay for the vaccines. Let’s say the full vaccination costs about RM380 per head and if the restaurants have 10 workers, then they only need to pay RM3,800,” Saarani said in an online news conference today.

"This is far better as they can start their businesses fast and get profit from there instead of them waiting for months to get their appointments, which will only bring more losses,” he added.

Saarani pointed out that the National Covid-19 Vaccination Programme through MySejahtera prioritised Malaysians, which meant that foreign workers may only get appointments late.

The MB announced the Silver Vax Programme earlier this month, after Majuperak Holdings, a subsidiary of Perak State Development Corporation, bought Covid-19 vaccines to accelerate protection from the viral disease for residents in the state.

Malay Mail previously reported that most restaurants in Ipoh have been reluctant to open for dine-in even after the government allowed them to do so for those who have completed their Covid-19 vaccination.

The common reason given by the restaurant operators is that they haven’t vaccinated their workers, who are mostly foreigners.

Malaysians in Ipoh also told Malay Mail they were hesitant to eat out at the moment due to the surge in cases.