PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet has decided to set up a body to investigate several ministries regarding certain policies which have been claimed to have encouraged monopolies.
Among these are the Health, Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and Transport ministries.
Health Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the body would be headed by Economic Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali.
He said the Cabinet had decided that four ministries would be involved in the investigations as these were the ministries which seemed to have elements of monopoly in acquisitions.
“This special body of officers will study the policies of these ministries when it comes to monopolies in acquisition. For instance, in the Health Ministry there are those who have claimed that there is a monopoly in the acquisition of medicines, so we will investigate.
“This study will then be summarised so that the best approach and the best form of governance can be found to ensure that there is no increase in cost in acquisitions (caused by monopolies).
“Whatever is good or bad in the policies of these ministries, we will inform the investigative body, but for now, I do not want to make any forecasts,” he told reporters after his ministry’s post-Cabinet meeting.
It was reported that the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) had wanted procedures regarding the supply of medicines to government hospitals and clinics to be reviewed, claiming that corruption involving politicians and even members of the royalty had led to a monopoly of the acquisition of medical supplies being put in place.
MMA president Dr Ravindran Naidu said the corruption and monopoly had indirectly led to an increase in costs of medicines supplied to the government.
He claimed that the tender for supply of medicines to the Health Ministry between 2013 and 2016 was estimated at RM3.7 billion and was controlled by six main agents.
On another matter, Dzulkefly said the Cabinet had also decided to abolish the Malaysian Health Promotion Board, or MySihat.
“This has already been decided and other things will follow. We need a little more time to come up with solutions to certain things,” he said.