KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — There is no need for the authorities to take criminal action against media agencies who report shortcomings of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Program (NIP), Khairy Jamaluddin said today,
Khairy, who sits as NIP’s coordinating minister, said he agreed with Tuaran MP Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau who said criminal action should not be taken against health news website CodeBlue, which cited anonymous sources claiming subterfuge in Covid-19 cases at the Setia City Convention Centre (SCC) vaccination centre (PPV).
“I am informed of the case and even though the decision to investigate or charge is beyond my jurisdiction, in that spirit I agree with your view,” Khairy answered Tangau in the Dewan Rakyat this afternoon.
“There is no need to take action against anyone who published a report with the intention to improve the PPVs.
“I will discuss with the bodies and relevant authorities to ensure we leave what has happened as a report made with the intention to improve our NIP,” he added.
This was after Tangau cited reports of a police probe initiated against CodeBlue editor-in-chief Boo Su-Lyn for a report it published about the questionable management of at least four SCC PPV staff after they were found positive for Covid-19.
The Sabah lawmaker had implored with Khairy if he agreed there was no need for criminal action for such reports when all it did was trigger eventual improvements in practices across all PPVs, before Khairy then responded.
This is not the first time authorities are investigating Boo and CodeBlue, with them being the subject of police investigations back in June 2020, for a report on a fire at Hospital Sultan Aminah in Johor Bahru in 2016.
