White Paper not to find fault but to improve process - Dr Zaliha

JOHOR BAHRU: The preparation of a White Paper on the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine was not made to find fault with the previous administration but rather to improve the process in the future.

Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the team established to prepare the White Paper will look at things that can be improved from what was presented by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) earlier.

"...not to look at the mistakes (of the previous government) but to come up with the best way, with more integrity, to ensure that it is also beneficial to the government and so on.

"(Because) we understand that the document (procurement) was done during an emergency, but there may be things we need to focus on," she told reporters after the inauguration of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital Wellness Hub, here, today.

Asked when the White Paper will be tabled in Parliament, the Sekijang MP said the white paper is still in the process of being completed and will be presented to the cabinet first before being tabled in Parliament.

Dr Zaliha said this when asked about the latest status of the White Paper and when it will be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.

On February 8, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Anwar Ibrahim was quoted as saying that the Ministry of Health (MOH) would present a White Paper on the procurement of vaccines and related costs, which was alleged to be partially non-compliant and it was signed by the minister without the approval of the Attorney General.

Commenting on the Auditor General's Report (AG's Report) on the supply of faulty ventilators during the pandemic which involved a loss of RM13 million, Dr Zaliha said she had sought an explanation from the officials involved.

"(I) have been informed (about this matter). Officials have given me an explanation, we take note (about the ventilator) with other things that are done during the emergency and see where we can improve," she added.

Three days ago, the AG's Report said that only 28 out of 136 ventilators obtained by the Ministry of Health through the emergency procurement procedure could be used, with the remaining 108 units of ventilators supplied by a company, unable to be used because they were unsuitable and unsafe to use for patients.

The report mentioned that following that, the Ministry of Health had returned only 15 of them to the manufacturer, while the loss claim of RM13.07 million for the other 93 units cannot be carried out as there was no procurement document between the company and the ministry.

-- BERNAMA