KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — The parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today stated that they will begin an inquiry into the development and procurement of the MySejahtera application somewhere in mid-April.
Its chairman, Wong Kah Woh said that it would call upon finance and health ministries, along with the Prime Minister’s Department for the proceedings, and that its two first witnesses would be the finance and health ministers, Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Khairy Jamaluddin.
He also said that the time and date for the proceedings would be announced soonest.
“The PAC is of the view that the issue regarding the development and procurement of the MySejahtera application should be explained transparently before the Committee as a nonpartisan committee which is for the interest of the people and the country, especially the appointment of a private company as the operator of the MySejahtera application in direct consultation and the costs involved.
“In addition, it raises the issue of the security of the personal data of Malaysians, and prevents any irresponsible parties from taking advantage of said personal information,” said Wong in a statement.
He said that it is appropriate for PAC to hold the proceedings as it is in accordance with the source of authority of the committee under Standing Order 77(1)(d) of the Dewan Rakyat, which allows the committee to examine any issues it deems relevant.
“In addition, PAC will also use the source of authority under Standing Order 83(2) as well as Article 11(b) of the General Circular No. 2 of 1982 in handling these proceedings,” he added.
Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently raised concerns about the government’s purported plan to sell its Covid-19 tracker application to a private firm which he claimed is owned by known political cronies.
The planned sale was disclosed at a PAC hearing on March 24. An official from the MoH, which operates the smartphone application, informed the panel that the Cabinet had approved the sale on November 26, 2021, via a direct tender.
Concerns over data breach issues have seen calls from bipartisan MPs for an end of the application.
Among them were Umno deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii and DAP man Lim Lip Eng.
