BAGAN SERAI: The Ministry of Health (MOH) will take stern action against any quarter who tries to forge the digital COVID-19 vaccination certificate in the MySejahtera application.

Its deputy minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali said the MOH enforcement division and other authorities view the issue seriously and would take necessary actions to curb the immoral conduct.

"We will investigate. The MOH enforcement division will certainly be more careful in ensuring and checking the authenticity of the vaccination certificates," he said in a news conference after visiting the vaccination centre for teachers at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Abu Bakar Al-Baqir here today.

He was commenting on the statement by Kelantan police chief Datuk Shafien Mamat who reminded the public not to abuse the standard operating procedures relaxation for interdistrict and interstate movements by producing fake vaccination certificates.

Dr Noor Azmi said the issue would be brought to the ministry's special meeting soon to discuss the suitable methods to address the matter.

Meanwhile, asked on the allegations of low vaccination rate in Perak, Dr Noor Azmi said as of Aug 8, 34.4 per cent of the population or 864,249 individuals had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 21.9 per cent (549,262 individuals) had received both doses.

He said for the Kerian district alone, a total of 57,841 individuals (29.8 per cent) had received their first vaccine jab while 40,716 individuals (21 per cent) had completed their vaccinations.

Earlier, at the event, some 1,500 teachers, support staff, canteen operators and school bus operators received their COVID-19 vaccinations in preparation for the school session which will begin in September.

-- BERNAMA