MACC investigating RM30m Covid-19 testing contract, MOH pledges cooperation

KUALA LUMPUR (May 5): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is investigating a company over its RM30 million contract to supply mass testing laboratory systems to a ministry, The Malaysian Insight reported yesterday.

While the sources refused to divulge the ministry involved, The Malaysian Insight understands it was the Health Ministry, and that the system was to be used for testing Covid-19 infections.

“I can’t reveal the ministry but we will be calling in some witnesses soon,” he told The Malaysian Insight, adding that an MACC team had visited the ministry on April 30.

The probe is looking into the manner the contract was awarded to the company.

“The investigation is still at an early stage. We opened the file as soon as we received information on the contract, as well as through questions which were raised on social media.”

According to The Malaysian Insight, former politician Wee Choo Keong said via Twitter last month that the Health Ministry must come clean on a contract which it had given out for the supply of laboratory mitigation systems for mass testing and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.

He said the contract was worth “tens of million” and a huge amount of money was paid upfront.

He also said the company was involved in real estates, and was not qualified to get the contract.

The timing of the contract came at a time when the ministry admitted that it was running short of PPEs as well as was looking at conducting more Covid-19 tests.

On April 13, the ministry said it had only two weeks’ worth of PPE supply left to be distributed to all hospitals in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr Adham Baba said today that the ministry will cooperate with the MACC on the investigation.

He said that the ministry is also constantly monitoring and ensuring its personnel practised a high level of integrity.

“The ministry will also support the MACC’s efforts to curb corruption and embezzlement. We will continue to work with MACC,” he said in a statement.

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