Who controls MySejahtera?
Good morning, here’s a quick rundown of what happened over the weekend.
Key Highlights
Who controls MySejahtera?
When ministers have breakfast
Najib in Penang
Who controls MySejahtera?
The opposition put a spotlight on the government's decision to appoint MySJ Sdn Bhd to manage the MySejahtera application, raising concerns if the key government tool during the Covid-19 pandemic was being sold off.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin clarified that it was not a sale. Rather, the firm which developed the app provided a free year-long service and the free period ended in March last year.
As such, Khairy said, there was a need to formally hire the company through a procurement process, thus the appointment.
However, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim pointed out that the original developers of the app - KPISoft (M) Sdn Bhd, which was later renamed as Entomo - isn't the same entity being appointed to manage the MySejahtera app.
While the directors of MySJ Sdn Bhd included two founders of KPISoft, it also included individuals with links to the business and political establishment.
They included ex-Umno and now senior Bersatu leader Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas and Shahril Shamsuddin, the ex-CEO of troubled Sapura Energy, as highlighted by Code Blue.
Khairy did not address the political links of the new entity but gave his assurance that the government remained the owner of the MySejahtera app.
Guaranteeing that the user data is safe, he said the Health Ministry is not allowed to even share them with other ministries, let alone the private sector.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | An architect shows how much costs go to building parking lots. |
 | The family fears her death might just be declared as 'sudden death'. |
 | 3pct will be allocated for the Orang Asli, Amirudin adds. |
When ministers have breakfast
Last Friday, seven Umno ministers gathered at a hotel for a meal and conversation, sparking speculations that they were up to something.
One of those in attendance was Communications and Multimedia Minister Annuar Musa, who had accused Pakatan Harapan of violating the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the government.
This was after Harapan voted down a motion to renew the detention without trial provision under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).
The speculation revolved around whether the ministers were planning to lobby an early dissolution of Parliament following Harapan's move. The MOU required the government not to dissolve Parliament until the end of July.
The ministers later insisted that they were only having breakfast.
Amid the speculation, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who is from Umno and was not among the ministers at the hotel meeting, publicly stated that the cabinet had decided Harapan did not violate the MOU.
He said under the MOU, Harapan will support legislation that concerned the government's survival, such as the budget or a confidence motion. The Sosma motion was neither.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin said the government will likely re-table the defeated Sosma motion.
He also said that some government MPs had deliberately left the Dewan Rakyat during the vote, thus causing the Sosma motion to be defeated. Hamzah also sarcastically suggested that they ”didn't like his face”.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | Faiz accuses the minister of not campaigning in Johor. |
 | He says PAS will still try to defend Muafakat. |
 | Seats in Pahang, S’wak, Johor and Sabah at risk. |
Najib in Penang
There was much drama when former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak visited Penang last Friday. As is with all Najib gatherings, huge crowds were mobilised to show he is popular.
Some Chinese clan associations were roped in. Its leaders declared that the Chinese community missed the ”good old days” when Najib was the prime minister.
Some DAP members, however, unfurled a ”national embarrassment” banner to welcome Najib, resulting in a scuffle with Najib's supporters. The Court of Appeal had used the phrase to describe Najib's case.
DAP leaders condemned Najib's supporters for the scuffle and a police report was lodged.
Penang PKR, meanwhile, suggested that Najib was trying to drum up support before he goes to jail.
On July 28, 2020, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur sentenced Najib to 12 years in prison and an RM210 million fine over the misappropriation of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds, a former 1MDB subsidiary.
The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and if Najib loses his final appeal at the Federal Court, he will also lose his freedom.
A separate court case is also ongoing against an ex-Goldman Sachs banker in the US for allegedly aiding in the theft of 1MDB funds.
During the US trial, it was revealed by a US jeweller that she personally delivered a 22-carat diamond necklace to Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor in a deal worth US$23 million.
Rosmah and Najib, in a press statement, pleaded ignorance.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | PCCC president and Komtar rep were critical. |
 | Ex-Johor DAP chief had called for Lim to step down. |
 | 'Warisan can no longer be trusted’. |
A daily glance at Covid-19
16,863 new cases yesterday (March 27) brings the cumulative infections to 4,122,004.
37 new fatalities put the death toll at 34,751.
New cases by states
Selangor (9,273)
Kuala Lumpur (1,395)
Penang (990)
Perak (836)
Johor (764)
Kedah (652)
Sarawak (631)
Negeri Sembilan (556)
Malacca (403)
Pahang (383)
Terengganu (327)
Kelantan (295)
Sabah (245)
Labuan (38)
Putrajaya (38)
Perlis (37)
What else is happening?
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the government intends to introduce a new bill in Parliament in July to ban anyone born after 2005 from smoking.
Single mother Loh Siew Hong, who was at the centre of a custody battle after her ex-husband unilaterally converted their children to Islam, is seeking to nullify their children's conversion in court.
The Johor government finally unveiled their new exco line-up, 70 percent of whom comprised new faces.
HIGHLIGHTS
 | 'No point having many ministers without an idea between them.' |
 | He will continue to serve to ensure victory in next GE. |
 | He says they must be thinkers of society. |
What are people saying?
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 | By R Nadeswaran |
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