Khairy assures transparency in expenditure, agreements for vaccine procurement

KUALA LUMPUR: Coordinating Minister for the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK) Khairy Jamaluddin Abu Bakar today gave assurance that all expenditure and agreements for vaccine procurement and the implementation of PICK will be presented to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Khairy, who is also Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation said this was to ensure transparency and openness of the programme as the implementation of PICK involved a huge allocation.

"Of course, a whopping RM5.8 billion allocation will raise questions on how the money was and will be spent," he said when giving a statement on the PICK at the special meeting of the Dewan Rakyat here.

Khairy said the PICK has attended two PAC proceedings twice, with the first on Jan 5 and the second, last Monday.

"During the proceedings, all documents on vaccine procurement and details of PICK expenditure have been presented to the PAC.

"Apart from the PAC, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, represented by its deputy secretary-general, had also given its statement at the Parliament's Special Select Committee on Health, Science and Innovation proceedings," he said.

In ensuring transparency and openness of the PICk, a briefing by invitation had also been held for all MPs on March 22 in Putrajaya, he added.

-- BERNAMA