KOTA KINABALU – The Health Ministry has been urged to further tighten MySejahtera procedures in view of the digital Covid-19 vaccination certificates scandal.
Sabah Community Development and People Wellbeing Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said that contrary to what happened in the vaccination certificate scandal in Terengganu, many in Sabah believe that the data kept in the MySejahtera system has been tainted by those who have not been vaccinated.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today was granted seven days’ remand for a 31-year-old office boy believed to play a key role in the illegal registration of digital Covid-19 vaccination certificates in the state.
“The Health Ministry should tighten MySejahtera’s procedures,” Shahelmey, who is also Sabah’s Covid-19 immunisation programme operations director, told The Vibes today.
A MACC source said six witnesses had come forward, with more believed to be involved in the alleged crime and operating in a syndicate in Sabah.
The agency is expected to conduct raids on inoculation centres across Sabah to ascertain the depth of the crime.
Those involved have been reportedly approaching unvaccinated members of the public to ask if they want to have their digital certifications updated, seeking RM2,000 as payment.
The suspect also had links with volunteers working in vaccination centres and helping him update the MySejahtera system, the MACC source said.
The suspect was arrested at the Sabah MACC office yesterday around 1.30pm after his statements were taken, following a raid.
The case is being viewed seriously as it jeopardises public safety in Sabah.
Sabah MCA chairman Datuk Dr Pamela Yong has called for severe punishment to the alleged perpetrators, saying only jail time could teach them a lesson.
She also chided those who had solicited the syndicate, saying that they had failed to realise they are now putting other people’s lives at risk.
“Likewise, commercial outfits, education institutes, and the people are at risk of quarantine, closure, financial losses, and interrupted learning, should any of them be infected and spread it to others,” said Yong, calling for them to also come forward to the authorities and get inoculated.
At phase four of the recovery stage, fully vaccinated people are allowed to enter premises, provided they are low-risk.
State Local Government and Housing Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun, who is also Sabah’s Covid-19 spokesman, failed to respond when asked by The Vibes on his ministry’s efforts to handle the situation. – The Vibes, January 12, 2022
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