KUALA LUMPUR – Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba has denied assertions in a report about the use of unapproved Sinopharm vaccines among certain privileged circles in Malaysia, describing it as defamatory.
The write-up in Asia Sentinel, which was published two days ago, alleged that there are interests in freelancing vaccine purchases.
Suggesting that there are rumours of this among the top echelons of Malaysian politics, the article quoted sources who suggested that Adham and Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin were involved.
In a brief WhatsApp conversation with The Vibes, Adham assured there was no “hanky-panky” in the procurement and search for Covid-19 vaccines.
“There is no hanky-panky in the purchase and sourcing of the vaccines.
“This foreign journalist is being defamatory. All purchases (of vaccines) went through stringent assessment by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency and received approval from the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force,” he said.
“As of now, all purchases are negotiated by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry,” Adham said.
The Asia Sentinel report also rained allegations against Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
The article claimed that the Agong, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun received the Sinopharm vaccination in the United Arab Emirates – although the vaccine has yet to receive approval in Malaysia.
Allegations were also made that the king was given an extra 2,000 doses for family and friends back home.
Claims were made that, after the Agong vaccinated his family members with the help of two physicians (his personal physician Dr Zulkarnain Ishmail, who practises at Gleneagles Hospital in Kuala Lumpur and Dr Hanafiah Harounrashid, a member of the Malaysia Medical Council), the excess doses were given to business partners and friends.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was offered one of the remaining doses, the article claimed, but he declined, along with other ministers as they awaited the Pfizer vaccine.
Given that the vaccine is not approved in Malaysia, the article alleged Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah instructed that a raid be conducted on both doctor’s offices, and doses were found in Dr Zulkarnain’s possession.
However, the sources cited by the article claimed that the Agong and prime minister intervened to put a halt to possible prosecutions.
“The two doctors are continuing to administer the remainder of the vaccines in the king’s palace to friends and friends of friends of the king, although they are now almost all gone,” the article read.
Meanwhile, a palace official said the Istana is aware of the allegations. – The Vibes, April 18, 2021
