To supplement the government’s efforts in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic, PROTON took the initiative to organise its own vaccination drive for all its employees, dealership staff and?suppliers. The result has been outstanding, as they gear?up?to resume operations once again.
Malaysia?has been struggling with?the COVID-19 pandemic?for?some time now,?with?the?number of reported positive cases?gradually rising?since end of 2020, reaching?record highs?in?August 2021. This?forced the government to impose?its?third?Movement Control Order (MCO)?back?in June this year?which has shut down a large part of the country’s?economic?sector.?
The automotive sub-sector?(deemed non-essential)?has not been?in operation?much?since?then.?Factories?have been left idle, dealerships and head offices closed with staff having to work?mostly from home?(well,?those who could anyway). The only?exception is vehicle service centres, which are allowed to operate to facilitate repair and maintenance, but strictly on a?pre-appointment basis.?
On the bright side, Malaysia’s vaccination drive?has been?lauded as one of the best?in the world?since it?went?full swing in May?of?this year. As of August 24th, alost 57% of its adult population have already received their second dosage, while nearly 79%?altogether?have received their first.
To help expedite the effort and ensure all of its staff are fully vaccinated when?business?re-opens,?PROTON took?the?initiative to conduct its own vaccination drive?for staff?at its main factory in?Tanjung?Malim,?as well as for?staff?from its Shah?Alam?factory and headquarters.?This courtesy was?also?extended to dealerships and suppliers, which makes up?a?total of?more than?60,000 people.??
PROTON worked with local authorities to repurpose its?2,000–capacity?sports complex?in?Tanjung?Malim?into a?vaccine dispensing centre, while similar vaccination efforts?were conducted?in Shah?Alam?at a nearby convention?hall. The operation first ran for six days?beginning July 12th, with?a?maximum of 800 vaccines administered daily. The?entire?process?was?restarted?three weeks later to administer the second dose.?
The sports complex within PROTON’s Tanjung Malim factory was repurposed as a vaccination centre
Staff filling up a consent form prior to registration
To date, more than 89% of PROTON’s entire workforce of about 8,500 people have been fully vaccinated with two doses while the remaining 11% awaits their second dosage – even better than an already-impressive national average. PROTON?plans to have?all of its employees?fully?vaccinated?by the end of August.
PROTON’S?vaccination?drive aims to better prepare?them?for when the government allows businesses to resume operations?by end of August, with?the?condition that they can only operate at a certain capacity?with fully vaccinated staff. This would?also?ensure the health and safety not only of employees, but of customers and visitors, who themselves, must?also?be fully vaccinated to ensure a total safe environment for all.
Registration inside the sports complex at Tanjung Malim
Pre-vaccination medical consultation to identify any health risks
PROTON’s CEO,?Dr.?Li?Chunrong,?spoke?about?the company’s efforts:?“PROTON is committed to helping Malaysia lower the number of COVID-19 infections by creating new processes in all areas, ensuring a new and safer work environment. It also means?strict new rules will be enforced throughout the company which will be the norm for the near future.”?
Staff getting vaccinated at one of PROTON’s vaccination centres
All this may?seem like a lot of work:?vaccinations, double masking, face shields,?and?social?distancing,?but?these measures?are imperative?in ensuring that the people,?the?economy and?nation as a whole?survives this?present?adversity.
PROTON have?already lost some of their staff members to COVID-19,?making them even more dedicated in?preventing?the spread of the coronavirus and keeping people?protected.?We wish them the very best in the days and months to come.
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