A two-year investigative journalism project exposing loopholes in the registration system for licensed contractors eligible to bid on government infrastructure projects was published for less than 48 hours before it was removed, raising questions of external pressure.
The eight-part series titled “Fast-Tracked Contractors Exposed” was published by Says, incorporating a first-hand narrative by the undercover journalist, audio interviews, video, an interactive game, and reactions from accused stakeholders.
Readers flagged the series removal and posted on Facebook and X, prompting further questions and speculations of alleged “instructions” to the editorial team.
In a statement to Malaysiakini, the Says editorial team confirmed the story has been removed pending further review.
However, it denied claims of external pressure, stating instead, “Upon further review, we determined that the piece required additional balance and legal scrutiny to meet our standards."
"At Says, we continue to ensure every story fully aligns with our editorial standards before its release. Post review of content after publication is part of our editorial standard operating procedure.
"Reports that are reviewed may be republished in the future. It is standard practice for us to hold publication whenever necessary to ensure our content perfectly reflects our editorial values and integrity," it said.
Multiple levels of ‘clearance’
It is learned that prior to its publication, the report went through multiple levels of “clearance”, including by the publisher’s legal and sales departments.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source familiar with the series’ publication process alluded to “calls” from government sources, which in turn raised internal concerns about the financial implications of a potential loss of advertising revenue.
“If there were no calls, there would not be any (internal) instruction for the story to be taken down,” claimed the source.
Separately, another source claimed that the alleged call to the senior management of Media Prima Berhad came from the Education Ministry.
The source further claimed that the alleged call was directed to Media Prima Berhad group managing director Rafiq Razali, who then issued the purported takedown instruction.
However, when contacted, Rafiq denied the matter, stating, “I did not receive any such calls.”
“I would like to clarify that the decision to take down the report was an internal one by the Says editorial team,” he said.
“The editorial teams have the freedom to operate within established guidelines and are given the prerogative to publish or take down their content.
“Periodic reviews of content - even after publication - are a standard part of our commitment to ensuring that all output aligns with the publication’s editorial vision and objectives,” Rafiq told Malaysiakini.
Journalist’s narrative
Says is managed by digital publisher Rev Media Group, which is part of the Media Prima conglomerate.
While the reason for the alleged removal request is unclear, in the third part of the report, the journalist narrated how she successfully submitted a bid for a tender issued by the Education Ministry to upgrade school facilities, armed with a newly acquired “licence.”
She did not win the bid nor disclose the winner, but highlighted that the experience raised serious concerns over infrastructure quality and how “easily” contractors can enter the bidding process.
Malaysiakini has reached out to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and the ministry’s corporate communications head for comments.
While removed from its main page and all social media channels, the article remains accessible through web archiving services.
Such services periodically capture and store snapshots of webpages, allowing earlier versions of articles to remain viewable even after they are deleted or altered on the original site.
Apart from her discoveries while posing as a potential contractor engaging “consultants” offering services to “register licensed contractors,” the report included interviews with other “victims” and also responses from agencies, including the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).
Small fee to be ‘licensed contractor’
The first part of the series narrated the journalist's experiences engaging with various “consultants” who quoted a fee as low as RM1,499 to be recognised as a “licensed contractor”.
These services purportedly included preparing questionable supporting documents, fabricating project experience, and arranging for “borrowed” engineers or technical staff to satisfy CIDB requirements.
The investigation argues that this practice could allow inexperienced or unqualified firms to bid for and manage major construction projects, raising concerns about public safety, project quality, and corruption risks in the construction sector.
The article also highlights how contractor grades determine the size and value of projects a company can undertake.
Higher grades provide access to more lucrative government and private-sector contracts, creating incentives for firms to bypass official procedures.
Several industry players and consultants featured in the report openly discussed these alleged practices, suggesting they were not isolated incidents but part of a wider ecosystem exploiting weak enforcement and verification processes. - Mkini
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