Buyers of falsified Covid-19 vaccination certs need to own up to authorities & go get jabbed

Wanita MCA acknowledges the efforts of the Sabah branch of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in remanding a 31-year old male suspect as part of its probe into a syndicate which allegedly bribed a volunteer at a vaccination centre to issue fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates on the MySejahtera app. Nevertheless, we are also saddened and dismayed that such cases could even permeate in the Land Below the Wind in complete defiance of public health and security issues.

The health and anti-corruption authorities need to investigate how widespread the counterfeit certificates by the syndicate has reached. Sabahans who obtained the fake health papers should also cooperate with and provide the authorities with as much information on how they managed to secure the illegitimate certificates. They should also immediately register for the doses, or approach the service centre of any elected representative to seek their assistance in registering for the jabs.

Establish hotline to verify authenticity of vaccination document

We need all members of the public to be vigilant and to also report of any suspicion of foul play. Authorities should also set up a portal and/or hotline where anyone can check and verify the authenticity of their MySejahtera vaccination certification at any time.

Perhaps purchasers of the fraudulant vaccination certificates believed that they would be empowered with mobility or ease of landing jobs. However, they failed to realise that the syndicates and those involved in selling the identification of non-vaccinated persons have put public health and people’s lives at risk, thereby heaving further pressures on our already heavily burdened public hospitals and making a mockery out of the sacrifices of our frontliners.

Likewise, commercial outfits, education institutes, and people at large are at risk of quarantine, closure, financial losses, interrupted learning, should any of them contract the infectious disease, or, if another new movement control order is imposed once cases in Sabah see a phoenomenal jump.

As it is, there was a sharp rise in new Covid-19 infections yesterday (11 Jan 2022) which state Covid-19 spokesman Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun attributed its possibility to festivities in conjunction with the New Year.

Moreoever, Sabah’s borders are porous especially given the state’s proximity with islands off Mindanao (southern Philippines) which has experienced intrusions of terrorists and illegals. Thus, the possibility of further clusters among the water villages by unvaccinated persons who hold fake vaccination documentation cannot be denied nor taken lightly.

Throw the book at the perpetrators. Then only will these offenders come their senses that jail time is many times tougher than quarantine or MCO, albeit marginally better than losing one’s life.

Datuk Dr Pamela Yong
Wanita MCA Sabah Chairperson
MCA Deputy Secretary General

-MCA online-