Health Ministry task force to look into Covid-19 vaccine procurement made during 2021 emergency

KUALA LUMPUR – The Health Ministry has set up a task force to draw up a white paper on the Covid-19 vaccine procurement made during the emergency period in 2021, following a decision made during a cabinet meeting on January 18.

In a statement today, Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said this comes after initial findings by the Attorney-General’s Chambers and Legal Affairs Division under the Prime Minister’s Department.

The two agencies had conducted detailed due diligence into the vaccine supply terms signed and made when the country was in a state of emergency.

She said the white paper is to look into whether the procurement process was done in a transparent manner that benefited Malaysians.

Zaliha has also assured that any procurement by her ministry, including Covid-19 vaccines, is carried out more deliberately and with integrity to ensure mutual benefits to the government.

Both the vaccine procurement process and the emergency declaration had come under fire during the federal administration helmed by then Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Muhyiddin also approved a total of RM5 billion from the National Trust Fund to be used to expedite the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines in 2021.

On April 21, the government passed an amendment to Act 339 that enables the trust fund to be used for the purpose of procuring vaccines and any other expenses related to it, through the Emergency (National Trust Fund) Ordinance (Amendment) 2021.

It was aimed at expediting the national immunisation programme so as to achieve herd immunity by the end of 2021.

On January 12, 2021 Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah proclaimed a Covid-19 emergency following the advice from Muhyiddin. The emergency was enforced up to August 1.

In defending the move, Muhyiddin had said that the sole rationale behind the declaration was to fast-track necessary legislative measures related to the management of the pandemic, and would not be used to violate human and other legal rights, as well as private property.

“This covers matters related to the use of private hospital assets, temporary land ownership, moveable property of buildings or private hospitals, and to allow the use of private hospitals to treat Covid-19 patients.

“So, rest assured that there is no sinister motive behind this declaration of emergency.” – The Vibes, February 10, 2023