A day after being dismissed as a scam, the businessperson behind an offer to donate two million Covid-19 vaccine doses has supposedly gotten in touch with National Covid-19 Immunisation Program Coordinating Minister Khairy Jamaluddin's office.
Relating the exchange through his official Twitter handle, Khairy said his officer is in contact with a person "claiming to be Yong Chee Kong".
The minister maintained he would be happy to facilitate Yong's offer to donate vaccines, but the man has refused to prove that the offer is genuine.
"She asked him if he had proof of the donation so we can facilitate it (e.g. order with Sinovac). He said no. He said he has money in an account in Hong Kong.
"She (my aide) then told him he can either show proof of the donation or make an official donation to the government of Malaysia which we will pass to the Penang government, not for him to pay to any company, which he refused.
"As I said yesterday, I am happy to facilitate the donation if Mr Yong can prove he can procure the vaccines or make an official contribution to the government," he on Twitter.
Khairy was responding to news report today, which quoted a man identifying himself as Yong Chee Kong and claiming that his vaccine offer to Penang was genuine.
This came following Khairy's press conference yesterday claiming that the offer was a sham and the company behind it does not exist. This prompted Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow to urge the person behind the offer to clear the air.
The author of the letter offering two million Sinovac vaccine doses to Penang had identified himself in the letter as Yong Chee Kong, managing director of Hong Kong-based firm Xintai Development Enterprise Ltd.
Malaysiakini's own checks on Hong Kong's companies registry also found that the company does not exist.
Instead, there are two companies with similar names, but neither of them listed Yong as a director.
According to Malay Mail's report today, however, Yong said there was no link to the firm as he was acting in his personal capacity to donate the vaccines and never wanted exposure.
"This is now a political issue. It’s not fair to me. We only wanted to donate the vaccines, not give cash," he was quoted as saying.
"I had reached out to the Sabah government via the chief minister but when they didn’t respond, Penang approached me and said since Sabah has rejected the offer, why not offer it to the opposition?” he said reportedly a phone interview.
Yong reportedly said the letter bearing his signature was written by the Penang DAP to be presented as a formal offer.
It was supposed to carry the company's address, but unfortunately carried his personal address in Kota Kinabalu instead.
"I didn’t write the letter, this is something my boss in Hong Kong wanted. It shouldn’t be my address,” he said.
He also claimed the name of the company as mentioned in the letter is inaccurate, and the firm operates in Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.
Yong reportedly reiterated that he would only donate vaccines that he procured himself.
"But they want me to pay to a company in Kuala Lumpur. I don’t want that. I know the costs," he said.
Yong said he was consulting his lawyer as to whether to call for a press conference and clarify matters following the minister’s revelation.
"I’m still thinking about it. Of course I want to clear my name," he was quoted as saying. - Mkini
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