Boost or lose privileges: is KJ’s third dose ultimatum legal?

[superadmin]

KUALA LUMPUR – Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin’s recent warning to Sinovac recipients and senior citizens to get their Covid-19 booster doses or risk privileges being revoked has triggered questions of its legality and even criticism from society.

The point of contention surrounding the seemingly arbitrary regulation concerns the absence of a constitutional provision mandating any form of vaccines, and claims that the revocation of fully vaccinated privileges is equal to the deprivation of one’s fundamental rights.

Among those more vocal about the recent warning is Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) president Datuk N. Marimuthu, who told The Vibes he views Khairy’s directive towards the affected groups as an outright threat to heed the ministry’s instructions.

Marimuthu said Khairy has failed to provide proper justification to compel Sinovac recipients and senior citizens to get their booster shots, arguing that the requirement for a third – or even fourth dose – would depend on a person’s economical and living situation.

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