TASK FORCE TO PROBE CLAIMS OF MONOPOLY
Headed by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, it will investigate 3 ministries
THE cabinet will set up a task force to investigate several ministries over certain policies, claimed to have encouraged monopolies. The ministries include the Health, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, and Transport ministries.
Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the task force would be headed by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali.
Dr Dzulkefly said the cabinet had decided that the three ministries would be involved in the investigation as they had elements of monopoly.
“The task force will study the ministries’ policies.
“For instance, at the Health Ministry, there are those who had claimed that there is a monopoly in the supply of medicines. Therefore, we will investigate.
“The study will be summarised so that the best approach and governance can be found to ensure that there is no increase in cost (caused by the monopolies),” he said after his ministry’s post-cabinet meeting here yesterday.
It was reported that the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) wanted procedures regarding the supply of medicines to government hospitals and clinics to be reviewed.
It claimed that corruption involving politicians and members of the royalty had led to a monopoly.
MMA president Dr Ravindran Naidu said the monopoly had led to an increase in the cost of medicines supplied to government hospitals and clinics.
He said the tender for the supply of medicines to the Health Ministry between 2013 and 2016 was estimated at RM3.7 billion, and was controlled by six main agents.
On another matter, Dzulkefly said the cabinet had decided to abolish the Malaysian Health Promotion Board, or MySihat.