PAC has no plans to call in Adham Baba over ventilator issue

THE Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has no plans to call former health minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba (pic) over its findings on the management of the Covid-19 outbreak, says its chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin.

She said while the PAC was expecting a reply from the ministry on the matter, the committee would not be calling Dr Adham for now, although the report stated that the shortcomings had occurred during his tenure.

“So far, none will be called (to provide their statements to the PAC). This is only feedback from our recommendations based on the PAC report,” she said yesterday.

She added that the Health Ministry was expected to present its reply on the committee’s recommendations next month.

On Oct 30, the PAC tabled a report in Parliament, revealing the procurement of unusable ventilators via WhatsApp, expiry of vaccines and over-purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE).

The report stated that 104 out of the 136 ventilators supplied by Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd (PLSB) in May 2020, procured for Covid-19 patients through WhatsApp at a cost of RM24.1mil, ended up being unusable.

Among the recommendations of the bipartisan committee was that the ministry re-examine the warranty status of the 136 ventilators and to take action against those responsible.

The PAC also recommended that the Health Ministry implement proper documentation for transactions even during times of emergency.

On another matter, Mas Ermieyati said she wants the Defence Ministry as well as the Royal Malaysian Navy to ensure prudent spending of public funds in completing the littoral combat ship (LCS) project.

She said this was among the five recommendations presented by the committee in its the report on the progress of the LCS project between June and September, published yesterday.

“The Finance Ministry must play a more productive role in ensuring no misappropriation of public funds in LCS project,” she said.