THE police report against a Twitter user who posted alleged misinformation about the government’s RM70 million allocation for the Covid-19 vaccination registration website was lodged by the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF).

Lawyer Rajsurian Pillai, who is representing the user, told media it was the government committee that had lodged the police report against the 36-year-old IT sales personnel who uses the Twitter handle @ChairmanGLC.

CITF, which is under the Science, Innovation and Technology Ministry, oversees the coordination and overall strategy for implementing the national Covid-19 immunisation programme.

Police have also confiscated the 36-year-old’s mobile phone, internet router and modem when arresting him last night.

“Police raided his home and took away his mobile phone, router and modem. He was detained at the Kota Damansara police station.

“He is a married man with four children. The police team came from Bukit Aman’s D5 unit (Classified Criminal Investigation Unit, Prosecution and Law Division),” Rajsurian said.

He added that police have obtained a one-day remand, and his client will be released at about 6pm today.

“Police asked for four days remand but magistrate S. Mageswary gave one day as my client gave his full cooperation to the police. Moreover, he is not a flight risk and will not interfere with the investigation,” said Rajsurian.

The IT sales personnel had allegedly spread misinformation with a tweet questioning the RM70 million allocated to develop the Covid-19 Vaccine Supply Access Guarantee Special Committee website six days ago. 

The government has been facing heavy criticism over difficulties people have faced in using the website to register for the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine as an opt-in, before it was folded into the national vaccination programme.

Many have questioned the website’s quality for the supposed RM70 million price tag.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, however, who is the national immunisation drive coordinating minister, has said that the RM70 million is not the actual amount the government spent on the website. 

He clarified that the sum was the “ceiling” set aside and that the total also covers the development and management of several other health systems. 

Lawyer Syahredzan Johan earlier today broke the news on Twitter of the man’s arrest last night. – June 5, 2021.