The ball is in MACC’s court

Health ministry leaves it up to agency to probe bid-rigging claims

PETALING JAYA: The Health Minister will leave it to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate alleged “bid-rigging” in the open tender process in the supply of drugs to the Government.

“It is time for the MACC to investigate and assure (us) that the law will take its course,” Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said during the Breakfast Grille programme on the Business Radio Station (BFM89.9) yesterday.

Pharmaceutical company Pharmaniaga was accused of monopolising the supply of medicines to the Ministry.

However, Dr Dzulkefly had previously denied this accusation.

He said via the open tender process, international pharmaceutical companies through their local subsidiaries bid through a tendering agent.

“Where the Ministry’s procurement tenders are concerned, they come in through the tendering agent. This tendering agent is given a commission of 3%,” he said.

Dr Dzulkefly also said interna- tional pharmaceutical companies, through local subsidiaries that are politically connected, are able to secure the bid.

Klang MP Charles Santiago had earlier lodged a report with the Selangor MACC over alleged malpractice in the procurement of medicines for public healthcare facilities.

On a separate matter, Dr Dzulkefly said he would also set up a task force of subject matter experts in the Health Advisory Council.

He said the second tier subject matter experts would be based on a thematic kind – public health, medical, clinical surgery-based, dental, traditional complementary medicine and others.

“The experts in each subject matter will be identified for a task force that will address specific problems while the first tier will look at the macro issues,” he said.

Dr Dzulkefly said the Health Advisory Council – as the first tier – would comprise five to seven experts, which he had announced.

“The council would be set up to chart big major policies for the health sector and to provide solutions and troubleshooting at the policy level,” he said, adding that this would be done by harnessing and galvanising talents from the private sector.

In the interview, Dr Dzulkefly said that he will be more resourceful in finding other means of financing for the Health Ministry given the financial constraints of the country,

However, he did not mention what ideas he had to find other resources for the Ministry when he was probed further.

The experts in each subject matter will be identified for a task force that will address specific problems.

Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad