In fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia is currently testing an app that will allow for contact tracing of possible infected persons.
Contact tracing is an identification process that is able to identify a person who may have come into contact with an infected person and subsequent collection of further information about these contacts. It has been used effectively as interventions to contain several viruses around the world such as the Ebola outbreak in Africa.
Photo: Soya Cincau
Malaysia is exploring this approach with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) testing a beta app called Gerak Malaysia that can allow for contact tracing by using location tracking.
Photo: Soya Cincau
Soya Cincau reported that the beta app is an initiative by MCMC with support from the Malaysian telcos and is developed based on the same contact tracing models that are being implemented in South Korea and in China.
To sign up, you would require a few basic details such as your mobile number with TAC verification, full name, IC number, address, and email.
Photo: Soya Cincau
Once that’s done, you’ll just need to keep the app running.
You would also need to grant the app permission to access your phone’s GPS for it to consistently track your location.
Photo: Soya Cincau
The only function after the registration process is a QR code generator that would assist the frontliners as well as the authorities enforcing the MCO.
The QR code will determine your level of risk and exposure that will then allow for frontliners to assign you to the right queue.
For example, if you’ve been to an area that was visited by a confirmed COVID-19 case, you will be flagged as a high-risk.
The QR code would also allow for police and armed forces at the roadblocks to monitor whether you’re traveling within the permitted radius.
This feature can potentially replace the approval letters that are required to be presented to the police and as a result, will help speed up the checks and reduce congestion.
Photo: Soya Cincau
Soya Cincau notes that contact tracing is only effective if the majority of Malaysians use it. Hence, there might be a possibility that this app would be made mandatory for all Malaysians to use when they want to travel outside in the future.
While some might be concerned about their privacy when contact tracing is done, the app reassures that it only collects and maintains an anonymous record of places where you’ve been and that the information is stored in a secured local server that belongs to the MCMC.
In the T&C, it is mentioned that the information collected is only intended to be used during and up to a period of 6 months after the MCO is lifted and that commercial usage is also strictly prohibited. In fact, after the crisis is over, the system will be deactivated and all users would be told to delete the app.
According to sources gathered by Soya Cincau, the app was developed for three weeks and it was originally intended for population movement tracking.
The app is currently in Beta and it is being tested by our local telcos.
If you want to give it a try, you can download the app now from the Apple AppStore and Google PlayStore.
By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya
