KUALA LUMPUR – “Emergency procurements” by the government, such as ventilators during the Covid-19 pandemic, should still require proper documentation, more so when they involve vast amounts of public funds, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said.
Responding to the findings in the Auditor-General’s Report 2021 on the Health Ministry, Yii said not only did the fiasco cost the country RM13.07 million but also jeopardised the quality of healthcare during the pandemic.
“Action has to be taken and the ones responsible must be held accountable,” the DAP lawmaker said in a statement today.
“It begs the question that even though it is an ‘emergency procurement’, why weren’t proper documents prepared and signed, especially when it involves millions of ringgit of public funds?
“Wouldn’t that have given better legal protection for the Health Ministry and the different parties that are involved against liability or incidents such as this?” Yii said.
The Auditor-General’s Report 2021 released yesterday stated that the 136 ventilators procured by Pharmaniaga Logistics for the ministry between 2020 and 2022 had cost RM24.07 million, but of this, only 28 were usable. Of the remainder, 15 were returned to their manufacturer for replacements, and 93 were deemed unsafe for patients.
The report also stated that the government could not claim for the losses from the 93 defective ventilators worth RM13.07 million, as there were no documents on the appointment of the procurement of ventilators between the company and the ministry because it was deemed an “emergency procurement”.
With 108 ventilators unsafe for use, Yii said this episode not only caused wastage of public funds but also compromised care for patients and may have even caused loss of lives.
“The possible loss of lives (as a result) could have easily been avoided if healthcare workers had the required medical equipment during that period of time,” said Yii, who was trained as a medical doctor and previously headed the parliamentary select committee on health.
He said an investigation for negligence should be held, and the different parties involved in the procurement process should be made to answer. – The Vibes, February 17, 2023
