KUALA LUMPUR – Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has dismissed as bogus an offer by a private company to supply two million Covid-19 vaccine doses to the Penang government.
Responding to claims by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng yesterday, Khairy confirmed that his ministry received a copy of the letter from Hong Kong-based Xintai Development Enterprise managing director Yong Chee Kong, from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, to Chow on February 1.
“The letter requesting approval for the purchase of the Sinovac vaccine was investigated by the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force (CITF) with the vaccine producers themselves.
“At the time, Sinovac was not yet approved by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency.
“Despite this, we investigated the contents of the letter with the producers Sinovac Biotech, and confirmed that no such transaction had taken place with the person or the company as contained in the letter,” he told a press conference this afternoon.
Among the contents of the letter, he said, it is stated that Yong will give a donation in the form of two million vaccine doses to the Penang government.
“In the letter, the individual stated that he will deposit US$2 million (RM8.26 million) to Sinovac Biotech via his personal HSBC account in Hong Kong if the Penang government approves of the donation.
“The letter also refers to dealings with a Sinovac Biotech sales manager named Ms Coco Chang.”
However, the probe conducted with Sinovac revealed that no such transaction had taken place, he said.
“There is no evidence from Sinovac Biotech of any dealings, while Ms Coco Chang has denied knowledge of any transaction with the said person or company having taken place.”
Khairy also confirmed that another letter was sent to him from the same individual on February 9, for the same offer of two million vaccine doses for East Malaysia.
“The offer is not right at all. This is a fake offer, a bogus offer. Look at the letter, it has no letterhead on it.
How did the Penang government fall for a scam to help the state’s vaccination programme? Vaccines are a highly regulated product. It’s not like buying a T-shirt on Shopee.
“Nobody knows who this Yong Chee Kong is, this person who uses the address Lot 22, Lorong Kenawai 5, Taman Sinar Baru, Jalan Damai in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
“This company, Xintai Development, is said to be registered in Hong Kong, but checks of company records in Hong Kong showed that it does not exist.”
He said the Penang government should not have politicised the issue by accusing Putrajaya of blocking its attempt to procure Covid-19 vaccines.
With the investigations concluded, Khairy said he informed Chow and Lim of the matter this morning, and asked them to stop politicising the national immunisation drive.
“I am willing to be proven wrong if the Penang government is able to prove that this is not bogus, and I will approve it immediately should that be the case.
“If the offer still stands, I will make it possible for it to happen.”
CITF has lodged a police report over the letters, he added.
Khairy’s remarks come after Lim rapped the federal government for rejecting the two million vaccine doses purportedly offered.
Prior to that, Chow said Penang in February was offered a donation of two million doses from a private firm as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.
However, the state government’s application to accept the doses, made via a letter to the Health Ministry secretary-general, was rejected on March 12, on the grounds that Putrajaya has already implemented the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme. – The Vibes, May 19, 2021
