“The action taken by the ministry is in line with the PAC’s recommendation to review the warranty status of all 136 ventilators and ensure appropriate action is taken against those responsible.

“PAC recommends that the funds be used by the finance ministry to ensure the availability of ventilators in all public hospitals,” PAC chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said in a statement.

On Nov 15, FMT reported that the health ministry sought the advice of the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) on the appropriate course of action against PLSB, the company that procured 104 faulty ventilators during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Deputy health minister Lukanisman Awang Sauni said the ministry sought the AGC’s advice following PLSB’s refusal to comply with a letter of demand for reimbursement of RM15.3 million issued by the ministry in September last year.

According to the PAC’s report in October, the health ministry approved an advance payment of RM30 million to PLSB to procure 500 ventilators, with the balance to be settled after the machines were received.

A total of 136 ventilators worth RM20.1 million were supplied to public health facilities between April 1 and May 19, 2020. However, only 28 were found usable.

An additional RM3.97 million was approved for PLSB to upgrade certain ventilators, bringing the overall procurement cost of the 136 ventilators to RM24.1 million.

Of the 15 units replaced, only four units were functional, meaning that 104 were still not functioning.