A DAP lawmaker has urged the authorities to investigate the alleged deal that resulted in a company supplying faulty ventilators to the Health Ministry between 2020 and 2022. 

Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii said action must be taken because ventilators are a crucial life-saving device for Covid-19 patients. 

“If proven there are elements of negligence, action has to be taken and the ones responsible must be held accountable, for such actions would also directly jeopardise the quality of care of patients, especially during the pandemic,” he said. 

Yii said although the ventilators were procured due to an emergency, the lack of procurement documentation warranted a probe.

He said documentation would have provided better legal protection and would have stipulated the liabilities of the parties involved. 

“The parties involved have to answer and be made accountable. This matter must not be taken lightly or swept under the carpet,” he said. 

Yesterday, Auditor-General Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid said the government incurred RM13.07 million in losses over the procurement of 93 ventilators, which turned out to be faulty, for Health Ministry facilities in 2021.

He said there was no warranty provided for the ventilators. 

There were also 108 out of 136 unusable ventilators supplied by a company between 2020 and April 2022.

In all, the government paid RM24.07 million for the 136 ventilators to a company, which the National Audit Department (NAD) referred to only as 260790-T. 

The Companies Commission named the company 260790-T as Pharmaniaga Logistics Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Pharmaniaga Bhd, which, in turn, is controlled by the Armed Forces Fund Board through Boustead Holdings Bhd. 

“No documents related to ventilator procurement transactions were submitted to auditors, who also were unable to confirm the role and responsibility of 260790-T as a company that managed the procurement of ventilators and which dealt with the manufacturers,” read the auditor-general’s report.

“Based on NAD’s calculation, the amount of losses from the 93 ventilators which could not be used (minus 15 that are being replaced by the manufacturer) is at RM13.07 million.” – February 17, 2023.