04/04/2020 08:45 PM
PDRM details data network contacts of COVID-19 patients
KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 -- The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) is currently working on detailing data including those of the tabligh cluster in Sri Petaling, to identify the networks contacts of the COVID-19 patients, said Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador.
He said based on the scrutiny, the police would identify the possible close network contacts of the COVID-19 patients to be channeled to the Ministry of Health (MOH).
All the work were carried out by the task force under Criminal Investigation Department (JSJ) director Datuk Huzir Mohamed which operated under a 24-hour shift.
“The task force has leveraged the technological assets we have at JSJ to analyse the data provided by MOH.
"(Approximately) 40,000 data are being analysed individually, so far, some of our districts have identified those individuals who are positive and which other target group should present themselves at MOH for screenings," he told Bernama in Bukit Aman, at Here.
On the tabligh cluster, Abdul Hamid said the police had assisted MOH to identify almost 11,000 members of the tabligh movement who participated in the event in Sri Petaling.
He said based on the data which had been scrutinised using the techniques available at JSJ, the police were able to identify the network of close contacts of the congregation members, their movements and who else might be infected.
"We can provide a prediction analysis, we can predict from the analysis that a tabligh member has been confirmed positive, who is the person in the network who has the highest risk of COVID-19.
“We identify the persons and we got their addresses and we give them to MOH so MOH would call them. We try to get their phone numbers, full addresses, I.C. (identity cards) ... all we get, "he said.
He said most of the tabligh members had been screened and the police were urging the public not to criticise and discriminate against them by increasing hatred against them.
Abdul Hamid said, in addition, the special force also provided identification information on tabligh members who were abroad.
“When we get their information, we will notify the Immigration Department or the port to wait for their return (at the entry points).
Earlier, Bernama reported that 95 per cent of the tabligh rally attendees at the Jamek Sri Petaling Mosque, here, had undergone screenings for COVID-19, while the remaining five per cent were being tracked down to ensure they also performed the screening.
Subsequently, the police had set up a task force involving officers and members of the JSJ at all state contingents and district levels in an effort to track down those who attended the rally from Feb 28 to March 1.
-- BERNAMA
