MOH Says Spent Almost All Of Development Budget

About 98% of MOH’s 2019 development budget has been utilised.

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) has denied claims that it did not use about 43 per cent, or almost RM1 billion, of its 2019 development budget allocation.

MOH said instead that it has spent 97.9 per cent of its development budget up to December 16.

“This shows a large increase because most payments were settled in the last quarter of 2019.

“Therefore, the Ministry of Health will ensure that each allocation is spent optimally and according to plan so that each layer of society can enjoy the best health care services,” MOH said in a statement to CodeBlue.

MOH previously told CodeBlue that it did not use up its development budget because of incompetent contractors and consultants, as well as because of a new government policy that prioritised cost reductions for projects.

CodeBlue had sought last Thursday comments from MOH on a Malaysiakini story citing a Prime Minister’s Department document that found MOH, among other ministries, did not spend 42.5 per cent, or RM935 million, of its RM2.2 billion development expenditure allocated for this year.

Last Friday, CodeBlue took down the article titled “Almost RM1Bil of MOH’s Budget Unspent Due To Inept Contractors” after MOH requested a withdrawal of the piece, claiming that it was based on inaccurate information that did not reflect the actual situation.

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