SHAH ALAM (Jan 24): Pharmaniaga Bhd expects more than 1,500 bids over the next two days under its latest tender exercise to facilitate the selection of medical-product suppliers to the Malaysian Government.

Pharmaniaga managing director Datuk Farshila Emran said the tender for 2017 to 2019 involves products listed in the Health Ministry's approved product purchase list (APPL).

"The APPL e-Tender is not a new exercise. We had done similar exercises every three years, the last in 2013. This exercise aims at providing business avenue for pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical vendors to supply products required by the Government.

"We merely facilitate the process, but the selection process, such as product specifications and criteria for the tender, is up to the ministry," she said at a press conference on the e-tender exercise.

Pharmaniaga is a 56.33%-owned subsidiary of diversfied-entity Boustead Holdings Bhd. At 12:30pm today, Pharmaniaga shares rose two sen to settle at RM4.97.