3 September 2021

Price cap on COVID-19 testing kits will benefit all Malaysians as lockdowns ease

The government’s initiative to implement a price cap for COVID-19 self-test kits is not just a pro-Rakyat scheme, but the increased affordability also encourages the practice of self-testing as the economy gradually reopens.

Furthermore, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has on several occasions expressed that Malaysians will inevitably have to live alongside the COVID-19 virus for some time as the virus becomes endemic. Hence, self-test kits are likely to become just as essential as hand sanitisers and facemasks during this period.

When Malaysians start returning to work at their respective workplaces, periodical self-testing will become an essential practice to ensure infection is detected early and the risk of infecting others as low as possible. The practice of self-testing will become a shared responsibility of the whole community.

As manufacturers speed up production and increase supply of the test kits, we hope that the prices can be further lowered beyond the current price cap of RM19.90 retail and RM16 wholesale. This is to ensure that everyone can purchase the test kits without incurring too much of a financial burden.

With a disciplined approach to self-testing and strict SOP observance, Malaysians can surely overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, rebuild Malaysia, and be reunited with loved ones again.

Alex Fong Kah Wei

MCA Youth Spokesperson

-MCA online-