KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 — Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) today expressed concern about the lack of transparency over the government's handling of MySejahtera Covid-19 contact tracing mobile application data.

Its president Muhammad Mohan said that since the cost of operating and maintaining the MySejahtera app involves public funds, there should be a clear process on how the “privatisation” of the app is managed as well as the costs incurred as it involves taxpayer’s money.

He also questioned why it is not directly owned, operated, and controlled by the government.

“The use and management of MySejahtera data must be in accordance with the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, the Medical Act 1971 and international standards.

"The Ministry of Health also cannot share MySejahtera data with other ministries or the private sector ... and just hope that the community will not hesitate and continue to use the MySejahtera application,” he said in a statement this morning.

He added that the government needs to prevent the leakage of information and public funds equally as well as ensure that such applications do not fall into the wrong hands before they trigger scandals or embarrass the country.

Previously, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin had stressed that the MySejahtera and its data still belong to the government, despite a previous deal on its intellectual property (IP) and software licence.

Khairy also said the decision by Entomo Malaysia Sdn Bhd (formerly known as KPISoft Malaysia) to sell the rights over the app to MySJ Sdn Bhd for RM338.6 million has no bearing on the government’s negotiation with the latter over the app.

This comes after news portal CodeBlue reported that MySJ Sdn Bhd’s shareholder P2 Asset Management Sdn Bhd is suing Entomo, MySJ as well as another shareholder Revolusi Asia Sdn Bhd in the High Court last November, for alleged breach of the share sale agreement.

Khairy said that when he was appointed as health minister, he decided to ensure that the management of the app falls under the ministry.