PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Muslim Consumer Association is set to initiate a class action suit against the government on behalf of those who experienced side effects or died as a result of the Covid-19 vaccination.
Its president Datuk Nadzim Johan said it is crucial to hold the authorities accountable and ensure justice for those adversely affected by the vaccines.
“The association has been vocal about our concerns regarding the safety of the Covid-19 vaccines administered in the country. When the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world, Malaysians were forced to take a vaccine whose effectiveness and safety were unproven.
“This happened because we bowed to Western pressure and followed their lead without validating test results conducted by our experts. Many Malaysians experienced side effects from the vaccines.
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“Medical experts, legal practitioners and the public have been dragged to court, sentenced, and even imprisoned for raising questions about the efficacy of the vaccine. The government must be held accountable for all this.”
Nadzim also said the association received 496 complaints regarding vaccines and those discriminated against for not being vaccinated.
“Some lost their jobs. Others were barred from entering mosques and denied licences. We have classified all these incidents under discrimination.
“Some of the complainants also lodged police reports, and when they complained to us, we referred their cases to our lawyers, who advised the Health Ministry be sued,” he said.
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In 2021, the government approved financial assistance for local and foreign nationals who experienced adverse effects after being injected with the Covid-19 vaccine.
Former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the Perikatan Nasional government would provide RM50,000 for each case of serious side effects that require prolonged hospitalisation. It would also provide up to RM500,000 each in the event of permanent disability or death following vaccination.
Nadzim said the affected families were now demanding compensation as per the assurance, as it is their right to do so.
“Since it is challenging for victims to receive compensation by pursuing the matter on their own, we shall represent them in a class action suit in the hope that the court will mete out justice through compensation for the families,” he said.
“We are seeking compensation because none of the victims or their families can sue the vaccine manufacturers, according to World Health Organisation regulations. Purchase contracts with the vaccine manufacturers also state that they cannot be sued, so the government must bear the consequences.”
The association became aware of the side effects and evidence through the complaints by the victims.
Nadzim said any medication that has side effects should be immediately withdrawn from the market and subjected to a review.
“Post-mortems should also have been conducted on the deceased but the government did not take such action.”
He said the association has been filing civil lawsuits to defend the rights of Covid-19 victims since 2021, but the courts initially rejected their suits despite ample literature and reviews of the vaccines.
“Over the past two years, numerous scientists from Thailand and the US have disclosed research findings indicating that the mRNA vaccine can lead to severe side effects, including heart attacks and blood clots.
“These scientific findings and official admissions highlight the potential risks associated with the vaccine, which have affected many.
“All the victims were healthy when taking the vaccine, but suffered sudden changes soon after. Some became paralysed, and many died needlessly.”
Nadzim said the government has stated that it will provide wang ihsan (courtesy money) as financial relief for the victims. However, due to the economic issues in the country, it is still very difficult to obtain such assistance.
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