Deputy minister: Vaccines are beneficial to Muslims

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Fuziah Salleh denied claims by some quarters that the construction of the first halal vaccine plant in the country meant those used prior to this were not halal under Islamic law.

She said unlike food which obtained halal certification from the Islamic Development Department (Jakim), vaccines get their recognition from the World Health Organisation.

"When talking about vaccines, we talk about the content used. It is not under Jakim but there are other acts for pharmaceuticals.

“Even though some doubted the halal status of vaccines, the principle should be its intake is beneficial to Muslims,” she told reporters when met after launching the Asnaf Treatment Card and Breastfeeding Mother Card at Pusrawi Hospital in Kuala Lumpur today.

In this regard, Fuziah said the building of the first vaccine factory in the country is an alternative measure as a contribution to Muslims on the whole.

Meanwhile, Fuziah said the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) is targeting getting between two to four percent of the hardcore poor out of the category this year.

According to her, the target is the new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for MAIWP.

She said among the best measures to get the hardcore poor out of poverty was through education and entrepreneurship.

- Bernama