MOH denies reports alleging number of Covid-19 cases was faked

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has denied that it faked the number of daily Covid-19 cases on Saturday (Oct 24), which saw 1,228 being reported.

This was the first time that the number of daily cases had breached the 1,000-mark in the country.

“There were several fake messages sent on WhatsApp by irresponsible parties. The Ministry would like to emphasise that this statement is not true at all.

“Please stop spreading fake news like this. The total number of cases reported on Oct 24,2020 was 1,228 cases, ” the ministry said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Oct 25) night.

The message claimed that Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was unhappy with instructions by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to fake the number of cases.

The message also said that the government wanted to use this to push the case for declaring a state of emergency in the country, thus suspending Parliament.

“Watch closely DG next move as he is likely to resign under pressure or pushed out of action by (Muhyiddin), ” added the message, which likely originated from a site describing itself as a ‘social news site’.

The message was accompanied by a screenshot of a report on the cancellation of the Health DG’s daily press conference.

Dr Noor Hisham himself on Sunday (Oct 25) shared the screenshots of the message on his Twitter account, saying that fake news was a challenge in the battle against Covid-19.

He also said that he was unable to hold the press conference but that a statement would be issued.

“God willing, a press conference will be held tomorrow (Oct 26), ” he added.

Muhyiddin had on Friday (Oct 23) requested the proclamation of a state of emergency under Article 150(1) and proclamation of Emergency (Essential Powers 2020) Ordinance pursuant to Article 150 (2B) of the Federal Constitution to combat the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.

He and several ministers presented Sultan Abdullah with the plan to declare a state of emergency at Istana Abdulaziz in Kuantan. They were accompanied by Dr Noor Hisham, the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, and Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun.

However, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah on Sunday decided that there was no need to declare a state of emergency in the country.