Hacked or scared?: Twitter users tease MoH, health DG over late Covid-19 update

KUALA LUMPUR – Twitter users have been making fun of the Health Ministry (MoH) and Director-General (DG) Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah over the fact that private television station TV3 was the first to update the new number of Covid-19 cases today.

Usually, MoH and Dr Noor Hisham will upload the daily statistics and information by mid-afternoon.

Strangely, TV3 beat them to it today, updating the fact that Malaysia has again breached the 13,000 mark at 4.38pm, while both the authorities and health DG tweeted the numbers at around 5.30pm.

Twitter users assumed that the government is reluctant to announce the figure – 13,034 fresh infections, with 13,009 locally transmitted.

Former federal minister Yeo Bee Yin pointed out how odd it is that a TV station was the first to publish the numbers, instead of the official government authority.

“It’s strange. @DGHisham @KKMPutrajaya haven’t posted today’s number yet. Or did I miss it?” she said in retweeting TV3’s post.

Twitter user @itsroshannn asked whether MoH is tired of tweeting the numbers, while @ahasaikal and @janiceeeanne asked if they are on holiday.

@DennisC9090 was far more blunt, accusing Putrajaya of cowardice: “KKM pun takut nak tweet.” (Even MoH is scared to tweet the numbers)

@_zmrzk sarcastically questioned whether MoH’s social media accounts have been hacked.

“Account @KKMPutrajaya kena hack ke hari ini sampai TV3 yang tolong announce?” (Has @KKMPutrajaya’s account been hacked today until TV3 had to make the announcement?)

As of 7.15pm today, TV3’s post has received 1,242 retweets, 297 quoted tweets and 827 likes, while MoH’s post received 466 retweets, 71 quoted tweets and 378 likes. – The Vibes, 22 July, 2021