NSC asks cops to drop fines for not updating MySejahtera health status

 

The National Security Council (NSC) has intervened in an incident where police fined 31 workers for allegedly not updating their health status on the MySejahtera app.

NSC director-general Mohd Rabin Basir said only those who travelled abroad or came in close contact with a Covid-19 patient need to update their health status.

"It has been proposed that the Manjung police (in Perak) take appropriate action by asking the district health department to cancel the fines," he was quoted as saying by Sin Chew Daily.

He explained that the workers will only need to update their health status if there had been Covid-19 cases at their workplace.

Rabin added that there will be no further action over the incident.

Last Saturday, Harian Metro reported that 31 workers were fined between RM1,500 and RM2,000 each for failing to update their health status on the mobile app.

Manjung district police chief Nor Omar Sappi was quoted as saying that they comprised 29 workers at an oil and gas firm and two from a chicken factory.

The Manjung police claimed this was a rule for the manufacturing sector.

Meanwhile, Beruas MP Ngeh Koo Ham, in a statement, claimed police had misinterpreted the standard operating procedures (SOPs).

He said the police by issuing the compounds had erred in their understanding of the health ministry's director-general's orders, as the need for daily health status updates should only apply to persons tested positive for Covid-19 or close contacts to those in the industrial and manufacturing sector.

"I would like to remind enforcement officers that the Director-General of Health’s orders are not gazetted and so, the public is not deemed to have knowledge of them.

"Such orders must be communicated to the parties concerned and only if they failed or refused to comply can the compounds be issued or in the alternative, they be charged in court," said the Perak DAP leader.

Ngeh added that he was prepared to offer free legal service if necessary. - Mkini