KUALA LUMPUR – The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today confirmed that the purchase of 104 ventilators, during Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba’s tenure as the health minister, was made without a written agreement as reported in the previous PAC report.
The matter was confirmed by PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin in a press conference regarding the report on Covid-19 outbreak management, expiry of vaccines, unusable ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) in Parliament Building.
“As everyone already knows, all this (was done) under (then Health Minister Dr) Adham Baba.
“YB KJ (former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin) already gave his statement, saying that it was not during his time (as the health minister),” she said.
On Monday, the PAC disclosed that no action could be taken over the defective ventilators supplied to the government, following the absence of a written agreement between the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd (PLSB).
PAC also revealed that there are still a total of 8.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, worth RM505 million, which had expired as of June 1, 2023.
PAC recommendations
Following that, Mas Ermieyati said that the MOH was given two months to respond to the five recommendations given by PAC on addressing the shortcomings found in the management of the Covid-19 outbreak.
She said that this was because after the PAC held a feedback procedure, the committee would present a follow-up action report on the matter, which also contained the MOH's feedback.
“In every issue investigated by the PAC, two reports would be prepared, and these two reports would go through five meetings before they can be presented in Parliament.
“This shows how committed the PAC is to ensure that the people know what the government is doing with regard to all the recommendations raised by the PAC,” she said.
Among the PAC recommendations is that even when faced with an emergency documentation should be carried out with due diligence and the MOH should immediately check the warranty status of all 136 ventilators, and ensure that appropriate action is taken against the responsible party.
Non-partisan approach
In addition, Mas Ermieyati said that every PAC report which is presented needs to be approved by seven permanent representatives of the government (ex-officio), consisting of the Attorney-General's Chambers, the Public Service Department, the Ministry of Finance, the National Audit Department, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Ministry of Economy and the Accountant-General’s Department.
All PAC members, including seven ex-officio, had to agree by consensus with the report, summary and recommendations before it was presented in the Dewan Rakyat, and thus far no PAC report had to go through a split vote.
Mas Ermieyati said that this demonstrated that PAC was a non-partisan committee, and did not bring their political party ideology when attending PAC meetings.
“What is important for us 14 PAC members is to ensure that the people's money is spent prudently, for the benefit of the country and the people,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati hopes that the government can amend the Audit Act 1957, so that the PAC can request the National Audit Department (JAN) to carry out a direct audit on any ministry, agency, department or party which receives government funds when required by the PAC.
In another development, Mas Ermieyati hopes that the government will immediately declassify the Public Governance, Procurement and Finance Investigation Committee's (JKSTUPKK) report on the land swap deal under the Ministry of Defence, to enable the PAC to conduct proceedings regarding the project. – Bernama, November 2, 2023
