Suspend HIDE information announcement immediately, shopping mall operators and retailers tell MOSTI

‘The statement [by The Malaysia Shopping Malls Association, Malaysia Retailers Association and Malaysia Retail Chain Association] claimed that the HIDE assessment is grossly unfair to shopping malls and retailers which have invested so much on safety and control and adhered to Covid-19-driven SOPs as determined by the authorities. "The earnest and diligent adherence to the SOPs at shopping malls would appear to have, unfortunately, back-fired and inadvertently punished the malls. 

"We understand that the national [Covid-19] infection rate is 1.3% and from our own statistics, shopping malls’ infection rate is significantly below the national average,” the statement claimed. Citing data from the Health Ministry, the statement said the ministry’s data shows that factories, communities and construction sites constitute the top three locations where Covid-19 incidence is detected at 48.06%, 12.5% and 11.56% respectively.

‘As the ministry’s data shows that shopping areas only comprises 4.78%, the statement said clarification needs to be accurately provided as to the incidence of Covid-19 infections in shopping malls and areas. "It is obvious the HIDE information is incomplete and skewed and portrays a completely different picture than the real situation. "The information is incomplete as only those premises and operations that diligently comply with the SOPs and MySejahtera recording are data-mined. "Those sectors that do not comply and blatantly flout the SOPs are not evaluated for lack of data and thus do not appear as a hotspot, despite being so,” the statement claimed.’

Read here (The Edge, May 8, 2021)

Khairy: No charges for Covid-19 vaccination at private facilities

‘Individuals who get an appointment for Covid-19 vaccine injection at private hospitals or clinics involved in the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme will not have to pay any charges, said National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. 

“The charges are borne by the government,” he told a press conference on developments involving the progamme here today. 

‘Elaborating, Khairy, who is Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, said Covid-19 vaccination centres (PPV) are set based on the address registered by the individual through the MySejahtera application. 

“If the vaccination centre near the address given is a private hospital, then they will go to that private hospital. Everything is based on location because we want to facilitate this immunisation programme,” he said.

Read here (Malay Mail, Mar 15, 2021)

Khairy: Registration for Covid-19 vaccination to start in March

‘Registration for Covid-19 vaccination to members of the public is expected to kick off in March and this will be on a volunteer basis, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin. 

He said there are five ways for the public to sign up for the vaccine, including via the MySejahtera application. “If they have no access to MySejahtera, they may go to the JKJAV (Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee) website, which will be launched by the prime minister next week.

“In addition there is the hotline (number to be fixed later), manual registration at public and private clinics and hospitals, and lastly, for people living in the rural areas, we will be working with the state government to get them to register the recipients including senior citizens,” he said during the Ruang Bicara programme aired on Bernama TV, yesterday...

‘The first phase, from February to April, is for the 500,000 frontliners who are directly involved in the fight against Covid-19, while the second phase, from April to August, for the high-risk group, comprising senior citizens aged 60 and above and the vulnerable group with morbidity problems, such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as persons with disabilities (PwD).

‘The third phase is from May to February next year and it is for those aged 18 and above.’

Read here (Malay Mail, Feb 12, 2021)

Use of MySejahtera app will soon be compulsory

‘Defence Minister Ismail Sabri said the use of the MySejahtera app, a mobile application commission by the federal government to facilitate Covid-19 contact-tracing, will soon be made compulsory in all business premises. "The Attorney-General's Office will gazette the usage of MySejahtera application as compulsory in the near future. However, exceptions are given to premises in rural areas where the internet connection is unstable," he told a press conference in Putrajaya today.’

Read here (Malaysiakini, August 3, 2020)