Health Ministry welcomes MACC probe on medicine monopoly claim

PUTRAJAYA, June 15 (Bernama) -- The Health Ministry welcomes investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on allegations that a company has a monopoly on the supply of medicine in the country, says its Minister Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad.



"The ministry has no problem (being investigated by MACC)...but there must be evidence and not just mere hearsay," he told reporters when met at the 2018 Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house at Seri Perdana here today.



He said his ministry took the allegation of medicine monopoly seriously and added that if there were wrongdoings, the MACC would take the necessary actions.



He said the Health Ministry wanted to do its best on responsible governance.



"We know there are sentiments in the market as we are also monitoring all parties. If there are malpractices, the MACC will act," he said.



Dr Dzulkefly said his ministry was always improving its services to supply medicines which are value for money.



According to a press report, Fahmi Fadzil who is Lembah Pantai MP from PKR had called on Dr Dzulkefly to break the medicine monopoly by companies owned by politicians from the previous administration in a Twitter posting.



On Wednesday, a portal alleged a company linked to a politician close to the previous government controlled the supply of medicines worth billions of ringgit.



According to the report which quoted sources, the monopoly owned by the company maybe the cause of rising medicine costs supplied to government hospitals and clinics throughout the country.



On the Hari Raya celebration this year, Dr Dzulkefly said the presence of 80,000 people at the occasion proved the burning spirit of unity among Malaysians.



He was confident the National Day and Malaysia Day would be celebrated with an explosion of patriotism to give a push to rebuilding the country's economy and strengthened its unity.



-- BERNAMA