A FORMER political secretary to Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to explain allegations that the former health minister was once offered RM50 million to abandon the Generational Endgame (GEG) tobacco policy, stressing that her remarks had been taken out of context and misunderstood.
G Sivamalar said an article she recently wrote as a personal tribute to Dr Zaliha was misinterpreted, leading to public speculation about an alleged bribery attempt involving the former minister.
She said the article was never intended to accuse any party of wrongdoing or to suggest improper conduct.
“It was purely meant to highlight Dr Zaliha’s integrity and leadership.
“Unfortunately, a small portion of the content was quoted out of context and went viral, resulting in misunderstanding,” she said in a statement today.
Sivamalar explained that the incident she referred to occurred about two years ago, after Dr Zaliha, who was then the health minister, announced that her ministry was preparing legislation related to tobacco and vape products.
At the time, she said, public reaction was mixed and clouded by widespread misunderstanding, with many assuming the proposal amounted to a blanket ban, raising concerns among industry players and other stakeholders.
“Within a week of the announcement, various individuals attempted to contact the minister’s office, including requests for meetings.
“In one incident, while I was managing visitor access at the lobby, an individual or group asked to meet the minister.
“When asked about the purpose of the meeting, it became clear that their intention was to negotiate the withdrawal of the proposed bill, with hints of certain offers being conveyed implicitly,” she said.
Sivamalar said she immediately informed Dr Zaliha of the situation and that the minister firmly refused to meet anyone, instructing that the individuals be asked to leave.
She said the instruction was conveyed and the individuals subsequently left the premises. Dr Zaliha never met them and did not entertain any such discussions.
“When I wrote the appreciation article, I was reflecting on that incident. Any perception otherwise is inaccurate and stems from misinterpreted excerpts.
“At that time, the ministry’s priority was to stabilise the situation by correcting public misconceptions and ensuring stakeholders clearly understood the intent and scope of the proposed legislation,” she said.
Sivamalar added that, based on her assessment at the time, there was no serious or explicit bribery offer that met the threshold for immediate reporting.
She stressed that had there been any clear, direct or explicit attempt to offer a bribe, it would have been reported to the authorities without hesitation.
“I remain ready to provide further clarification if required,” she said.
Yesterday, the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Centre) urged the MACC to investigate claims that Dr Zaliha had been offered RM50 million to drop the GEG policy.
The allegation stemmed from Sivamalar’s opinion piece published by a news portal and later reiterated in a statement to the medical news site CodeBlue.
In the article, Sivamalar claimed that her former minister had been subjected to several approaches, including phone calls and possibly face-to-face encounters, aimed at persuading her to withdraw the GEG Bill, which sought to prohibit smoking for individuals born after 2007. - December 23, 2025
politics, corruption allegations, MACC, Dr Zaliha Mustafa, Generational Endgame, tobacco policy, G Sivamalar, public integrity
