KUALA LUMPUR: The full force of the law must be applied on anyone who falsifies Covid-19 vaccination certificates, as well as Covid-19 test results, says Senior Minister (Defence) Datuk Seri Hishammudin Hussein.

       “If the allegations are true, there is no meaning to what we are doing in terms of setting standard operating procedure to curb the spread of the virus while they are simply violating them,” he told reporters after chairing the Quartet Ministers Meeting at Wisma Pertahanan yesterday.

       He said the issue was something that was difficult for him to accept and forgive because it affected public health and safety.

       Such violations by medical practitioners were irresponsible, he said.

       “Let’s get to the bottom of it and I want the full force of the law on them. I want to make sure they realise that there is a limit in trying to profit and make money at the expense of people’s lives,” said Hishammuddin.

       He was commenting on the arrest of a private clinic doctor in Terengganu who was suspected of issuing fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates.

       On another matter, Hishammuddin said the Foreign and Transport ministries were looking at adding Thailand and Indonesia to the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) initiative.

       He said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and Foreign Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob attended the Quartet Ministers Meeting for discussion on the VTL scheme.

       “They briefed us on their latest discussions with their counterparts in Singapore as well as on suggestions to further enhance the initiative,” Hishammuddin said.

       He added that both ministries were looking at the opportunity to expand the VTL initiative by adding more countries, including Indonesia and Thailand.

       “This, however, depends on the Covid-19 situation in those countries as well as ours,” he said.

       It was reported that the governments of Malaysia and Singapore will reevaluate the current risks before deciding whether to proceed with the 50% quota of the VTL land and air scheme.

       Dr Wee was quoted as saying on Jan 8 that in the original discussion, the two countries had previously agreed to continue the daily VTL with the total ticket sales reduced to 50% of the allocated quota from Jan 21.

       On Dec 23 last year, the two countries decided to temporarily suspend the sale of bus and flight tickets under the VTL to curb the spread of the new Omicron variant.