Ex-health minister says ready to cooperate with MACC probe on Covid-related procurements

Former health minister Dr Adham Baba is willing to cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) probe into allegations of corruption and irregularities in Covid-19-related procurements.

Adham, who held the portfolio when the pandemic first hit the country, admitted that he had received complaints about the matter which occurred at the administrative level.

He said that during the pandemic, many procurements were made without going through normal procedures, adding that there also was confusion in implementation.

“We used emergency procurements because there was an urgent need for many things to be done quickly. There were some orders that required us to make deposit payments which did not go through the usual processes. There were things that I was aware of and as the (health) minister at that time, I advised them.

“As a minister, I take care of the policy and the administration executes it. I laid down all of the requirements to be executed by them and I am ready to cooperate with MACC. There is no doubt because this is the first time ever the emergency procurement was used,” he said to reporters after an event in Serdang today.

This comes after MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki said yesterday that the agency was conducting an investigation into alleged corruption, malpractice and abuse of power in Covid-19-related procurements.