Health Bureau denies CE wife interfered in public tender

A man who called TDM Radio Chinese two days ago claimed that the Chief Executive Chui Sai On’s wife had intervened in a Health Bureau (SSM)’s public tendering process when Chui was the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture.
The tendering was related to a research project dealing with the healthcare system of Macau. SSM was trying to hire an international consultancy for the research.
SSM has released a statement, rebuking the accusation.
The bureau has claimed that Chui Sai On and his family have never intervened in any procurement of SSM, including research and construction projects.
It said that while Chui was the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, he already clarified the issue several times. His office has also released a detailed response to a lawmaker’s written enquiry in November 2000. SSM again published a statement on June 6, 2009 to clarify the matter.
SSM claimed that the allegation by the radio listener, which it regarded as untrue, was regrettable.
It stressed that the bureau has been adhering to the principles of fairness, legality and transparency whilst carrying out the relevant processes. Therefore, it claimed that its procurement process would not be tempered by anybody.
This is not the first time that the tendering of this research project regarding the healthcare system of Macau has been questioned. Previously, Au Kam San criticized that Chui Sai On had allegedly spent millions of patacas to hire a consultancy from the United States to conduct the research process.