KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob refused to confirm today whether a deputy minister has tested positive for Covid-19 as reported

During his press conference after a special Cabinet meeting on Covid-19, he said this information could not be verified and was privileged.

"First of all, nobody knows the status of this deputy minister. This is not allowed,” he said.

The senior minister recalled that during the movement control order, the identities of Covid-19 patients were kept confidential as this was their right to privacy.

He said the sharing of personal data was prohibited by law.

"This is an infringement of their privacy under the Personal Data Protection Act,” he said.

The federal and state governments are exempted from the Personal Data Protection Act.

The minister then cited the example of a Pahang exco who had been rumoured to be positive for Covid-19, which later forced the state’s mentri besar to issue a denial.

The exco was tested twice and returned a negative result both times.

Earlier today, media reports emerged that a deputy minister has tested positive for Covid-19 and was admitted to Hospital Sungai Buloh.