Secretary-general Wan Hashim Wan Rahim says it will examine claims of collusion among bidders and is ready to cooperate with the MACC if further investigation is needed.
Its secretary-general, Wan Hashim Wan Rahim, said the ministry took the allegations seriously and was prepared to cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) if further investigation was required.
He said allegations of cartel activity or collusion must be assessed based on facts and credible evidence, and not just similarities in companies’ registered addresses or business backgrounds.
“Anything that could raise doubts about the integrity of the procurement process, including relationships between bidders, possible conflicts of interest and bidding patterns, will be duly examined to ensure that transparency and integrity are upheld,” he said in a statement.
The statement followed questions raised by Tasek Gelugor MP Wan Saiful Wan Jan about the second phase of the ministry’s 2026 cooked food supply services tender for the 2027-2029 period.
Wan Saiful had urged the MACC to investigate 213 school meal contract awards worth RM1.32 billion, citing concerns over recipients’ business addresses, financial capacity and experience.
According to Wan Hashim, 245 tenders had been advertised under the second phase, of which 242 were awarded.
Two were cancelled because of hostel block upgrading works, while another was postponed following a change to the contract commencement date, he said.
Wan Hashim said no decisions on tenders that had been lawfully finalised were revoked, adding that official information on procurement results could be checked via the MyProcurement portal.
On the disparity in contract values, Wan Hashim said the highest-value contract, worth RM38.7 million, was for a sports school that required nutritionally balanced meals tailored to the dietary needs of high-performance athletes.
The estimated daily meal cost at the school was RM90.84 to RM92.93 per student, compared with RM26.10 to RM31.65 at ordinary primary and secondary schools, he said.
“Therefore, differences in contract values should be viewed in the context of the requirements and service specifications of each institution, including student numbers and stipulated nutritional needs,” he said.
On supplier eligibility, Wan Hashim said all successful companies were validly registered with the finance ministry under Field Code 040103 for Muslim Cooked Food.
He said companies were not evaluated solely on their names or business profiles, but also on their experience, technical compliance and ability to fulfil the contracts.
Responding to concerns over companies using residential addresses as their registered addresses, he said meals were prepared, cooked and served in the kitchens of the schools or institutions concerned, rather than at the suppliers’ premises.
“Nevertheless, the ministry takes note of the findings involving companies sharing the same registered address. The matter will be examined further to strengthen the ministry’s tender governance,” he said.
He said successful bidders were required to have working capital equivalent to 3% to 5% of the estimated contract value. Their financial statements were also cross-checked with banks before letters of acceptance were issued.
Wan Hashim also denied claims that the contract to supply meals to the hostel at SMK Seri Badong in Kedah had been awarded to a company registered in Terengganu.
He said checks of the e-procurement system showed that the successful bidder was registered at an address in Yan, Kedah.
“Each tender is evaluated based on established terms and criteria to ensure that the procurement process is conducted in an orderly, transparent and fair manner,” he said. - FMT
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