Vaccine ‘donor’ can’t show proof, says Khairy

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today said the man who claimed to have offered the Penang government two million doses of Sinovac vaccine for free had no proof of the donation.

In a series of Twitter posts, Khairy who yesterday labelled the offer as a scam job said his officer had gotten in touch with “a person claiming to be Yong Chee Kong”, the man who had signed the letter to the Penang government.

“She asked him if he had proof of the donation so we can facilitate it (eg. order with Sinovac). He said no. He said he has money in an account in Hong Kong.

“She then told him he can either show proof of the donation or make an official donation to the government of Malaysia which we will pass to the Penang government. NOT for him to pay to any company. Which he refused.”

He also reiterated his willingness to facilitate the donation if Yong could prove his ability to procure the vaccines, or make an official contribution to the government.

Khairy, who is in charge of the national vaccination programme, yesterday said investigations had found that the company cited in the letter, Xintai Development Enterprise Ltd, did not exist.

Likewise, the investigation with Sinovac China revealed no proof or documents received by the company, he said.

“This donation or offer is bogus. Look at the offer, there’s not even a letterhead,” he said at a press conference.

He also said he had instructed the Covid-19 Immunisation Task Force to file a police report on the matter.

Yong had reportedly responded to Khairy’s statement, insisting that the offer was genuine and that the donation was made in his personal capacity.