While such technology might have helped save lives, rights advocates say intrusive solutions could already be so entrenched that personal privacy is the long-term price many people may yet pay.

Dr Helmi Zakariah says the registration exercise was done to help 'digitally-gapped people' register for vaccination appointments.

The spike in cases across the state has left lingering questions about contact tracing efforts, among others.

They include two in Selangor and two in Kuala Lumpur.

Consumers Association of Penang urges the government to reconsider the move, given the plight of the elderly and those who do not possess smartphones.

The app has had fewer than 6,000 downloads on Google Play, and unlike MySejahtera, users' concerns do not receive a direct response.

Of particular concern are the conflicting claims on data privacy in SELangkah's terms and conditions.

The company which developed the app says this is necessary as several improvements have been made.

She said she kept her meetings with a man secret because she was concerned her family would spread rumours about them having an affair.

News that Singaporean police can access contact-tracing data leads to increased privacy concerns.

The debate over the app's data privacy points to lingering trust issues that could undermine the battle against Covid-19.