KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Ministers from previous administrations had signed off on Malaysia’s Covid-19 procurement without the express approval of the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim revealed today.
Prime Minister Anwar said this was among “irregularities” discovered with the multi-billion-ringgit purchase of Covid-19 vaccines for the country, which will be presented to Parliament in a White Paper from the Health Ministry at the parliamentary meeting starting next week.
“The White Paper will present irregularities found in the procurement process,” he said in a press conference after chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting earlier.
When pressed to clarify which former ministers had signed the procurements, Anwar said their identities were not the focus but those involved will have to provide an explanation over the matter.
At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, two ministries were put in charge of Covid-19 pandemic-related matters as well as the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).
Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba was the health minister while Khairy Jamaluddin was then the science, technology and innovation minister during the administration under Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin beginning March 2020.
Adham and Khairy then swapped their portfolio when Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob took over from Muhyiddin as prime minister in August 2021.
