Tok Mat calls for an end to ‘surveillance’ by MySejahtera

 

Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan says the health ministry must provide a comprehensive explanation about a deal to privatise the app.

PETALING JAYA: Umno deputy president Mohamad Hasan has called for a cut-off date to be placed on the use of the MySejahtera application, which he described as a “surveillance mechanism”.

“Malaysians cannot be burdened forever by this ‘surveillance’ mechanism which directly invades their privacy in their movements and daily lives,” he said.

“Determine a period of time where we can end all this, so that the lives of the people can return to pre-pandemic times,” said Mohamad, who is better known as Tok Mat.

He said the government must also conduct comprehensive discussions about the use of MySejahtera for any other purposes.

“All plans to upgrade the app to ease organ donation or other health matters — though beneficial — are not aligned with the main purpose of the app’s development.

“If there is any proposal to upgrade or diversify the functions of MySejahtera, a check-and-balance mechanism is needed to ensure that the personal information of Malaysians are not compromised,” he said.

Mohamad said the federal government must also discuss the rationale behind the requirement for people to register on MySejahtera and to activate the MySJTrace feature.

The development of the MySejahtera app and its management of the private data of millions of Malaysians has been the subject of controversy in recent days.

Mohamad urged the health ministry to provide a comprehensive explanation on the confusion over a purported deal to privatise the management of the app, particularly on the appointment of MySJ Sdn Bhd through direct negotiation.

He said the people deserved to know the rationale and motive of this move, as well as the capability of the firm, since it involved the management of private data and the health information of millions of Malaysians.

“The application was initially developed as part of a company’s corporate social responsibility in facing a spreading pandemic. The government must hold comprehensive engagements with all stakeholders when it comes to any other purposes (for the app).”

Mohamad said the government needed to be wholly transparent about the issue to bolster the people’s confidence in Putrajaya’s plans to enlarge the functions of MySejahtera.

Earlier, health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that the MySejahtera application belonged to the government and that Putrajaya remained the custodian of its data, with the app’s maintenance as the only issue.

He also said the government was still negotiating with MySJ Sdn Bhd on the software licence agreement terms, but assured that the price would be below RM338.6 million.

MySJ Sdn Bhd reportedly paid the application’s developer, Entomo Malaysia Sdn Bhd (previously known as KPISoft Malaysia Sdn Bhd), RM338.6 million to acquire the app’s software licence previously. - FMT