KUALA LUMPUR – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has expressed its satisfaction over the government’s efforts to procure Covid-19 vaccines following meetings between the Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) and Health Ministries today.
“These proceedings are in line with the PAC’s intention in ensuring that government spending is truly transparent for the benefit of the people.
“At the same time, the PAC took note of the existence of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) between the government and the Covid-19 vaccine manufacturer.”
However, in this matter, the PAC will balance its role of carrying out legislative scrutiny with the provisions of the NDA to ensure no breach of the agreement occurs, its chairman, Wong Kah Woh, said in a statement today.
Adding that the NDA should not constrain the duties and roles of the PAC in general, Wong thanked the two ministers involved – Khairy Jamaluddin and Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba – as well as Health Director-General Tan Sri Noor Hisham Abdullah and Mosti secretary-general Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir for their commitment in the proceedings.
Wong added that the PAC will not compromise on its principle of transparency in carrying out its duties, and will safeguard the interests of the country while respecting the agreements that have been signed.
“The PAC, for the first time, will hold a special meeting (exit conference) with Mosti and the Health Ministry before the PAC report is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat to ensure that all the terms of the agreement are complied with.
“The PAC is committed to helping give confidence to the people in getting the Covid-19 vaccination so the spread of this pandemic can be stopped.”
The PAC's response comes on the heels of Khairy’s announcement that the government will invest RM16.6 million to cover logistics and ultra-cold storage costs for the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, covering 55 urban areas across the country.
“We will obtain 55 freezers to be placed in 55 locations. As the Pfizer vaccine requires ultra-cold storage facilities, it will be deployed in urban areas, while the AstraZeneca vaccine will be deployed in rural areas because it only requires normal freezers,” he told a press conference today following the proceedings, adding that the storage facility will cost RM6.7 million.
“Pfizer delivers to the point of vaccination, but the storage is our responsibility. Some quarters have said that the storage alone is RM16.6 million. The cold storage is actually around RM6.7 million, which is around RM70,000 to RM80,000 per freezer.”
He expects that the Pfizer vaccine will hit Malaysian shores next month while the AstraZeneca jabs will arrive within the first quarter. – The Vibes, January 5, 2021
