CodeBlue said today that its editor-in-chief, Boo Su-Lyn, was summoned to give her statement at the Shah Alam district police headquarters in the afternoon.

“Boo cooperated with the police but turned down a request to name the sources of her report,” said CodeBlue.

The portal said it was understood that the vaccination centre management had lodged a complaint.

The investigations are being conducted under the Penal Code for intent to create public fear and alarm, and under the Communications and Multimedia Act for using a network to communicate false or offensive content.

The offences carry a penalty of up to two years’ jail or fine or both under the Penal Code and a fine of up to RM50,000 or up to a year’s jail or both under the communications act.

CodeBlue condemned the police investigation as an act of harassment and intimidation, adding that Putrajaya should not target whistleblowers for providing information which was later confirmed by officials.

“Instead, it should learn from the lesson and improve its implementation of the necessary safety measures,” the portal said.

CodeBlue’s article, published on July 18, had quoted anonymous volunteers at the vaccination centre. The article said the management of the centre did not inform volunteers about four cases of Covid-19 infections among them, and that no mass screenings had been conducted.

Two volunteers had been quoted as saying that they had got swabbed on their own accord after finding out about the infections from the patients themselves.

The infections were confirmed a day later by the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force, which said seven staff at the centre had tested positive, and that the centre had been immediately sanitised by the management.

CodeBlue also criticised the requirement for volunteers at the vaccination centre to sign a form subjecting them to the terms of the Official Secrets Act, which prevented them from speaking freely to the media.

“This greatly impedes transparency and public accountability, which are crucial to the government’s Covid-19 public health response, including the vaccination programme,” CodeBlue said.

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