KJ willing to be quizzed again over vaccine deals if there’s evidence

PETALING JAYA: Khairy Jamaluddin says he will fully cooperate with any probe of claims that he profited from vaccine procurement as minister in charge of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK).

The Health Minister said he had already given his statement to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the matter and was ready to be called for questioning again provided his accusers can show proof.

ALSO READ: PAC to call up ministers in query over vaccine procurement

“I have no problem, anyone can accuse me, but there must be proof. [And] if there is evidence please investigate,” he told Mingguan Malaysia, the Sunday edition of Malay daily Utusan Malaysia.

Khairy said he had already furnished the relevant documents to the PAC, including the prices paid for the vaccines and the reasons for the selection made.

“The committee can make (its) conclusion after I showed all the documents that the management and also the procurement of our vaccines are done well and in an orderly manner,” he was quoted as saying.

Khairy was Science, Technology and Innovation Minister at the time and was given the responsibility to handle PICK before the task was passed on to the Health Ministry in November (Khairy was appointed Health Minister in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob's new Cabinet in August).

ALSO READ: PAC meets as scheduled despite postponement of parliamentary meetings

The PAC began its hearings on vaccine procurement on Jan 5 last year and called then health minister Dr Adham Baba, Khairy and other officials to brief the committee.

On Aug 2, amid the postponement of a special session of Parliament owing to Covid-19 concerns, the PAC met again on the matter.

This time, Dr Adham and Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah were called to brief the PAC.

Health Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Shafiq Abdullah and National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency division director Dr Roshayati Rusli were also present.

ALSO READ: Despite roadblock, Parliament’s PAC goes on as scheduled