The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is expected to conclude its proceedings on the losses incurred over the procurement of defective ventilators for Health Ministry facilities in 2021 as revealed in the Auditor-General’s (AG) Report.
The final proceeding is expected to take place today.
PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said a press conference will be held on the matter soon.
It is learnt that several witnesses, including Health Ministry officials and representatives from the supplier Pharmaniaga Bhd, have been summoned to testify before the parliamentary select committee.
The Auditor-General’s Report 2021 Series 2 released in February revealed that 108 units of ventilators obtained through the emergency procurement procedure could not be used while only 28 were working.
This cost the ministry RM13.07mil as it could not claim compensation for 93 units due to the absence of a procurement documentation between the supplier and the ministry.
The ventilators were supplied by Pharmaniaga’s unit, Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd (PLSB). The ventilators were procured in a cash-and-carry manner whereby it was bought, tested, upgraded and utilised due to the pressing situation at hand.
On June 7, Deputy Health Minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni told the Dewan Rakyat during the debate on the AG report that circulars from the Treasury related to emergency expenditure and procurement did not require the ministry to prepare an agreement prior to the purchase.
“This could be a reason that the supplier took advantage of the situation by supplying ventilators which did not meet specifications of the Health Ministry,” he said.
The ministry had also placed orders based on brochures and catalogues instead of physically inspecting the equipment given the limited mobility due to Covid-19.
Lukanisman said the ventilators were dispatched directly to the facilities.
