MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki saw no issue with a Selangor transport project awarded to Asia Mobility Technologies Sdn Bhd (Asia Mobiliti), a firm linked to Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh’s husband.
NST reported Azam (above) saying this is because the contract was awarded by a different entity - the Selangor state government - and not by Yeoh’s ministry.
He said according to the law, there is no wrongdoing if a person receives a contract or any benefit from an agency or entity not related to them.
“In the case of Yeoh’s husband, based on what I read from media reports, he received a contract from the Selangor state government while she is the youth and sports minister.
“There is no relationship between the ministry and the Selangor state government. The project that was awarded is a project from another entity.
“I don’t see any wrongdoing with the awarding of the contract,” Azam said today at an event in Kuala Lumpur.
Yesterday MCA Youth secretary-general Saw Yee Fung said MACC should intervene and thoroughly investigate the matter to ensure the project award was not due to nepotism or preferential treatment.
Earlier today, former Penang deputy chief minister P Ramasamy called for either Yeoh to resign as a minister, or for her husband Ramachandran Muniandy to quit as the company’s CEO.
“To prevent embarrassment, either Yeoh must resign as minister or Ramachandran quit the company.
“Asia Mobility Technologies Sdn Bhd co-owner and Malaysiakini director and former CEO Premesh Chandran has emerged to defend the award of the transit project to his company, which was also awarded to another company.
“Both were awarded the project through direct negotiation rather than adhering to the mantra of an open-tender system of the Pakatan Harapan-led government.
“The question is how could the project be awarded through direct negotiations when the principal officer or the CEO happens to be the husband of Yeoh,” asked Ramasamy
He said he had no quarrels about the company’s competency to undertake the project.
“I am sure Premesh and Ramachandran are competent individuals to undertake the project.
“Unfortunately, Ramachandran happens to be the husband of Yeoh, a senior leader of the DAP, a party that strongly advocates open tenders and transparency in the award of government projects,” said Ramasamy who quit the DAP after he was dumped as a candidate in last year’s Penang state election.
‘Yeoh is no ordinary person’
Ramasamy pointed out the Harapan-led government has set “high and mighty principles” but seems not to have followed them.
“I am sure the Selangor state or the committee on the award of tenders must have known the relationship between Ramachandran and Yeoh.
“Yeoh is no ordinary person but a cabinet minister who must be above cronyism and favouritism. Even if the selection committee was not aware of the family links been Yeoh and Ramachandran, Yeoh should have known better in advising her husband.
“She should advised him not to be involved in the project in the first place,” he said.
He added that he was taken aback when Premesh came out to defend the award of the transit project to his company.
“He (Premesh) said the award was given on the grounds of competence and knowledge of the project. But unfortunately, whether Premesh realises it or not, having the husband of a minister as the CEO is the main problem.
“I am sure Premesh cannot discount this fact, the point of embarrassment for the Madani government at the federal and state level,” Ramasamy added.
More ‘broken promises’
Meanwhile, a Bersatu leader accused the award of contravening transparency, good governance, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s claims that there would be no more direct negotiation.
Bersatu Legal & Constitution Bureau deputy chairperson Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif said, “On Jan 9, 2024, the PM announced that: ‘In principle, we are completely halting direct negotiations’ for government procurements.”
“Anwar made a similar promise shortly after forming the government on Nov 29, 2022. There appear to be no excuse or grounds to justify this DRT (demand-responsive transit) award which was by direct negotiation,” she said in a statement.
She also pointed to Harapan’s campaign promises on the issue of public procurement, saying that:
“For quotation requests of supplies, the Finance Ministry must maintain a list of supply costs that is updated every six months.
“For projects, the RFP (request for proposal) system and open tenders will be carried out. Direct negotiations will only be allowed for matters pertaining to national security but subject to the Special Committee which will be led by members from the opposition.
“We are surprised by the complete silence of the prime minister on this matter. In the public interest, Anwar must explain how and why the contract was awarded by direct negotiations to a company whose CEO is the spouse of a member of his cabinet.
“Meanwhile, we note that Asia Mobiliti has threatened legal action over the public criticism and questions raised about this award. This is uncalled for and is unacceptable. The public has every right to ask for explanations on government procurement which involves the expenditure of public funds.
“The discussion is in the interest of the public and cannot be shut down. The issue is larger than Asia Mobiliti, it involves promises and an undertaking made by the PM and the political coalition which forms the federal government as well as the Selangor state government,” she added.
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