Health Ministry disproved PM's claim on vaccine procurement, says Radzi

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has disproved Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's claim that the Covid-19 vaccine procurement had been signed off without involving the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC), says an Opposition lawmaker.

Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin (Perikatan Nasional-Putrajaya) said that Health Ministry’s White Paper on Covid-19 Vaccine Procurement Management, which was presented by Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni at the august House last week, had disproved the Prime Minister's claim.

“When we look at the motion read out by the deputy minister, he said the ‘House is aware of the signed agreement that has gone through a review process by the AGC’.

“So who is going to apologise? The PM’s statement gave the impression that the vaccine procurement was not brought to the AGC but the deputy minister said otherwise,” he said when debating the White Paper on the Covid-19 vaccine procurement at the Lower House on Monday (June 12).

In February, Anwar said ministers from the previous administration had signed off the vaccine procurement without the approval of the AGC, citing it as among the irregularities found in the purchase of the vaccine by the White Paper.

Former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin also dismissed Anwar’s claims, saying all purchases made by the government during the then Perikatan administration were brought to the Cabinet.

Khairy said the AGC was privy to the purchase and provided comments before the procurement was signed off by the Health Ministry.