Ismail Sabri: Not an offence if MySejahtera health info not updated, but still important to do it daily

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A user scans a QR code via the My Sejahtera app at a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur January 16, 2020. – Malay Mail photo

KUALA LUMPUR (June 7): Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today confirmed that those who do not update their health status and information on the MySejahtera app daily will not be penalised as it is not an offence.

He said this is based on the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, where failure to update information on MySejahtera is not listed as an offence liable to a fine by any enforcement officer or agency.

“To this, I hope and advise that any compound notices which have been issued on these grounds should be cancelled. Enforcement officers are also advised to not wrongly interpret any standard operating procedures (SOP) empowered by the government,” Ismail said in a statement.

Despite not being an offence, he still advised MySejahtera users to update their status daily, saying it should be a matter of integrity and a sense of responsibility.

“This is because MySejahtera is an app developed by the government to assist in monitoring the spread of Covid-19 in the nation, via health self-assessment.

“As such the app is not merely to be used for scanning whenever entering a premise, it is more important to ensure it is updated every day, indeed every time depending on your movement and activities that day,” Ismail said.

He however did not elaborate what he was referring to — whether updating one’s check-ins, or health status which should only be updated when there’s a change.

He stressed the app’s importance in ensuring social safety and health, so that positive cases, close contacts, casual contacts, and the like can be resolved swiftly.

“Any wrongdoing and confusions that may have arisen before this issue have since been addressed, and I also ask for understanding from all quarters so that we can collectively halt the spread of Covid-19.

“We must acknowledge that enforcement is made and compounds issued to ensure every individual heeds the SOPs that have been put in place,” Ismail said.

Last Saturday, 31 workers at a factory in Manjung, Perak were issued fines for failing to update their health status on MySejahtera, following a SOP monitoring operation.

Another group of 29 oil and gas company workers in Kawasan Perindustrian Kampung Acheh in Sitiawan, Perak were similarly penalised following confusion on purported SOP violations at their workplace.

However, Perak police chief Commissioner Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid has since said the police will propose that the compounds issued to the 29 workers be cancelled. — Malay Mail