STATEMENT BY
H.E. SYED MOHAMAD HASRIN AIDID
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
AT THE 2021 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC) MINISTERIAL SPECIAL MEETING ON “A VACCINE FOR ALL”
NEW YORK, 16 APRIL 2021
His Excellency Mr. Munir Akram, President of the ECOSOC, Mr. Secretary-General,
Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates,
I commend the initiative of the ECOSOC in organizing this Ministerial Special Meeting on “A Vaccine for All”. About a year since the onslaught of the Coronavirus on the world, bringing devastating impacts on our society and economy, we are certainly encouraged by the availability of COVID-19 vaccines.
2. Malaysia strongly believes that access to vaccination is a human right that must be respected, protected, and fulfilled. As Malaysia has stated before, whoever finds the vaccine, must share it. Once a vaccine is developed, it must be promoted through international collaboration rather than nationalistic competition. The issue of equitable access to COVID-19 vaccine is an important issue that needs to be addressed to end the global COVID-19 threat. We are concerned with the uneven and unfair global distribution of vaccines, whereby the majority of vaccines produced have been bought and monopolised by rich developed countries. The act of vaccine nationalism contravenes the spirit of solidarity and that of leaving no one behind. We must embrace vaccine multilateralism, not vaccine nationalism.
3. In this spirit, Malaysia has joined the COVAX Facility, and is collaborating with countries around the world to ensure that vaccines must be made a global public good and be made accessible to all.
4. Earlier this year, the Government of Malaysia announced that it is providing free COVID-19 vaccination to cover about 80% of its population, regardless of their nationality or immigration status. This is in line with the Government’s policy of assuring affordable and equitable access to vaccines for all. Malaysia’s National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme is based on the strategy: "Protect Yourself, Protect All”, in order to achieve herd immunity. The objective is to ensure as many residents in Malaysia as possible receive the vaccine. We aim to save lives in the fastest possible time. The virus does not discriminate, and neither should we.
5. We hope the end of the tunnel is within sight for all of us, whether we are in a developed or developing country. We urge all UN member states, UN bodies, the private sector, and civil society organisations to come together in solidarity and humanity to ensure that no one is left behind.
Thank you.
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