PGCare contact tracing app to be discontinued, says CM Chow

THE Penang government has advised all business operators and Penangites to abide by the Federal Government’s decision to use the MySejahtera app.

 

Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said that the state took note of the announcement made by Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob that it is now mandatory for all businesses to use the MySejahtera app.

 

Ismail Sabri had said that the regulation would be gazetted by the Attorney General Chambers soon.

 

Chow urged businesses and the people in Penang to switch to the MySejahtera app as soon as possible.

 

“We have played our role when we initiated the PGCare app for contact tracing purposes on May 15 to combat the Covid-19,” he said.

 

“The PGCare app has been very well-received by Penangites and even visitors to the state,” he told a press conference today.

 

As of noon today (Aug 5), there were 1.355 million PGCare app users; while 36,521 business premises were using PGCare. Over 16.48 million check-ins have since been recorded.

 

 

A visitor at Chowrasta Market using the PGCare app before entering the market.

 

“Please use the MySejahtera now instead of PGCare, since PGCare will not be available soon,” Chow said.

 

“We have to abide by the Federal’s decision, and we do not want the people to get into trouble for not using MySejahtera.

 

“We just hope that the Federal Government will give the people some time to switch to MySejahtera; perhaps until Aug 31,” Chow said, adding that the move to discontinue PGCare was also to prevent confusion.

 

He thanked the mobile operators and sponsors for their support towards the PGCare app.

 

Also present were Deputy Chief Minister II Prof Dr P. Ramasamy, and state executive council members Chong Eng and Soon Lip Chee.

 

 

Story by Christopher Tan

Pix by Alissala Thian

Video by Alvie Cheng