KUALA LUMPUR (May 5): The Ministry of Health (MoH) will give full cooperation to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should there be any investigation on the procurement of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and Covid-19 testing kits. 

Its director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, however, did not confirm whether the ministry was indeed involved in any probe on procurement contracts, but he said it is ready to cooperate with the MACC if the need arises. 

"The matter is pertaining to the MACC so it would be best if we refer it back to them. For MoH, we will always cooperate with MACC if needed," replied Noor Hisham when asked to comment on the allegation of misconduct in awarding contracts to supply mass testing laboratory systems to MoH via direct negotiation.

The allegation was reported by news portal The Malaysian Insight yesterday quoting politician Wee Choo Keong who said via Twitter last month that the Health Ministry must come clean on a contract that it had given out for the supply of laboratory mitigation systems for mass testing and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.

He said the contract was worth “tens of million” and a huge amount of money was paid upfront. He also said the company was involved in real estate and was not qualified to get the contract.

The timing of the contract came at a time when the ministry admitted that it was running short of PPEs as well as was looking at conducting more Covid-19 tests.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba also said yesterday that the ministry will cooperate with the MACC on the investigation.

He said the ministry is also constantly monitoring and ensuring its personnel practised a high level of integrity.

“The ministry will also support MACC’s efforts to curb corruption and embezzlement. We will continue to work with MACC,” he said in a statement.

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