GEORGETOWN – Preliminary investigation by the Penang police has revealed that the purported author of a letter expressing interest in donating two million Sinovac doses to the state was only verbally appointed as a representative of the Hong Kong-based investment company behind the offer.
Penang police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abd Manan today said police are attempting to establish the contacts of the company and confirm its registration status, as well as the role of the letter’s author.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the author of the letter offering the two million doses of the vaccine was not the managing director of Xintai Development Enterprise Ltd,” he said in a statement.
The author of the letter confirms that the signature on the letter sent to the Chief Minister’s Office was his. The author was only verbally appointed as a representative of Xintai Development Enterprise Ltd.
Sahabudin said that police commenced investigations after six reports were lodged, including by representatives of the state government.
“The modus operandi of this case is that the suspect, who is a representative of Xintai Development Enterprise Ltd, is believed to be trying to deceive the Penang government by offering two million doses of Sinovac vaccines, which are believed to be non- existent,” he added.
Sahabudin added that once the investigation is complete, the papers will be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor’s office for advice and views.
The case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which covers alleged cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.
He said the investigations by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department is ongoing, and its officials still need to record statements from several witnesses involved in the case.
“We have received a total of six reports, including from the Chief Minister’s Office, over the issue following the statement of Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, who said the offer of vaccines to the Penang government was a fraud and that no such company exists.
“Investigations are still in the early stage. We need to record statements and the conversations of witnesses from relevant companies, as well as witnesses from the Covid-19 National Immunisation Programme office and Penang Chief Minister’s Office,” he said.
The issue erupted into controversy after Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng questioned the federal government for not approving the state’s request to accept the offer of two million doses of Sinovac from a private firm.
On May 19, Khairy had dismissed as bogus an offer by a private company to supply two million Covid-19 vaccine doses to the Penang government.
Later, the purported author, Yong Chee Kong, who is based in Sabah, was reported to have said that the letter bearing his signature was in fact written by Penang DAP to be presented as a formal offer to the state.
Yesterday, Penang Barisan Nasional Wanita head Datuk Norliza Abdul Rahim said something was amiss as the offer letter was dated the same day it was received by Chow’s office in Penang, and a handwritten note on the letter after receipt was also signed on that date – February 1.
“How can a letter sent from Sabah be received on the same day in Penang? Is Sabah located in Butterworth?” asked Norliza, who is also an Umno Supreme Council working committee member. – The Vibes, May 23, 2021
