PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa’s former political secretary G. Sivamalar has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), detailing what had transpired during the process of drafting the anti-smoking law amid allegations of “pressure” and “offers” from tobacco lobbyists then.
Sivamalar was a special officer to Dr Zaliha when she was Health Minister.
Sivamalar, who later became political secretary when Dr Zaliha was made Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), said her report yesterday was “more of a clarification on what had transpired”.
The controversy came about following Sivamalar’s personal tribute on Facebook to her former boss.
In the post, she had claimed Dr Zaliha had stood firm when lobbyists from big tobacco companies made offers of up to RM50mil to drop the GEG (generational end game) Bill. Dr Zaliha merely told them to leave.
“I just mentioned that in one line in the article. But it was taken out of context,” said Sivamalar, who had made the post as a tribute to Dr Zaliha, who was not given a ministerial post in the Cabinet reshuffle last week.
“There was no serious offer. She (Dr Zaliha) didn’t give any room for any serious offer.
“That was what I was trying to say,” she explained.
On Monday, her post led to critics questioning her on why she, or Dr Zaliha, had not made an official complaint about the “bribery offer”.
Sivamalar then issued a statement yesterday that her remarks were never intended to imply misconduct or suggest that any improper engagement had taken place. Her sole aim, she said, was to highlight Dr Zaliha’s integrity.
“Unfortunately, a small portion was extracted without context and has since gone viral, resulting in misunderstanding.
“The incident referred to occurred about two years ago, when the ministry was preparing legislation related to smoking and vaping products,” Sivamalar said.
(The GEG was an initiative to ban the sale of tobacco products to anyone born in 2007 onwards.)
In the week following the announcement, Sivamalar said many people attempted to contact the minister’s office.
“On one occasion, a person or group requested to meet the minister. When asked why, it became apparent that their intention was to negotiate the withdrawal of the proposed law, with implied offers.”
She said she immediately informed Dr Zaliha about the request.
“She refused to meet anyone and instructed that they be told to leave,” she added.
“There was no serious or explicit bribery offer that required immediate reporting.”
The GEG part was later dropped from the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Bill, which was eventually passed in Parliament in 2023.
Yesterday, Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control president Prof Dr Murallitharan Munisamy said there should be an independent and comprehensive public inquiry on the matter as it had reinforced earlier claims that there had been lobbying in play.
“These facts indicate a systemic and organised pattern of industry interference in the formulation of public health policy,” he said in a statement.
