KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 – The government yesterday launched a mobile app called MySejahtera to identify Covid-19 hotspots and to help people monitor their health, but it appears to have problems registering users.
“You can now download the MySejahtera app developed as a ‘hotspot tracker’ to be informed of Covid-19 hotspot areas,” the Royal Malaysian Air Force said on its Facebook page today.
According to the MySejahtera FAQ, the app classifies users as low-risk, casual contact, close contact, person under surveillance, person under investigation, and confirmed case for Covid-19.
“MySejahtera is supported by all Android smartphone users running version 4.4 and above, as well as iPhone users running iOS 11 and above,” the app’s FAQ states.
Yet, users are having issues registering for the app.
The app, when downloaded, needs registration by users either by using email address or mobile numbers.
CodeBlue and seven other people tried but failed to register for the app.
“Says error when I use mobile number,” a user told CodeBlue.
As for registering via email address, the app shows that either the link has expired or the user already exists in the system.
Some users tried logging in since the app mentioned their details are already in the system, but the login page says “invalid username”.
A user also tried using the desktop version and clearing the Google Play Store cache, but the app was still not functioning.
Facebook users also complained on the Ministry of Health (MOH)’s Facebook post about the app.
“Error. Dah try 3 kali register phone number and email,” commented Facebook user Amirud Rohaizad Ibrahim.
“Tried many times but still unable to register. Kept saying error,” added Teresa Yap in the comments section as well.
“Error. Email cannot, phone number also cannot,” commented WeiCheng Ang.
According to the FAQ, users can submit complaints on technical issues on the app: “Users can submit complaints through ‘Technical Support’ of the application”.
But this seems impossible as the Technical Support feature is only available once a user is successfully registered.
The app, launched by National Security Council (NSC), MOH, the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), allows users to conduct health self-assessment on themselves and their families.
Health Minister Dr Adham Baba and Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin held a soft launch at MOH’s headquarters in Putrajaya yesterday for the MySejahtera app.
According to the MySejahtera FAQ, the MySejahtera app assists the government in managing and mitigating the Covid-19 outbreak; helps users in monitoring their health throughout the Covid-19 outbreak; assists users in getting treatment if they are infected with Covid-19; and locates the nearest hospitals and clinics for Covid-19 screening and treatment.
“At the same time, it helps MOH get early information for quick and effective action,” MOH posted on Facebook yesterday.
The app classifies users as low risk (those who have low risk of infection); casual contact (likely exposed to another person infected); close contact (those who have been exposed to those with infection); person-under-surveillance (PUS); person-under-investigation (PUI); as well as confirmed case of Covid-19.
“Close contact covers health care associated exposure, including providing direct care for Covid-19 patients without using appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment), working with health care workers infected with Covid-19, visiting patients or staying in the same close environment of a Covid-19 patient; working together in close proximity or sharing the same classroom environment with a Covid-19 patient; travelling together with Covid-19 patient in any kind of conveyance; and living in the same household as a Covid-19 patient,” according to the FAQ.
PUS are those at risk of being infected with Covid-19, for example individuals with history of traveling abroad within 14 days; whereas PUI are at risk of being infected with Covid-19, for example individuals with history of traveling abroad within 14 days before the onset of symptoms or who have attended mass gatherings.
MOH releases details on its social media pages every day about the number of cases in districts throughout Malaysia, classifying them into red, green, orange, and yellow zones. Red zones, or hotspots, are those with more than 40 coronavirus cases, that are currently predominantly in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. More detailed data at the sub-district or village level is not available.
