Tee Keat: Outsourcing AES decision of previous cabinet

The cabinet decided to privatise the installation of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) before Ong Tee Keat joined in as transport minister, Ong said today.

Asked why the AES installation was outsourced to private companies, Ong said he too had raised the same question when he became minister in 2008. His term ended in 2010, after he lost the MCA presidency to Dr Chua Soi Lek.

"But I must tell you that the decision (to privatise the AES system) was made (by the cabinet) well before I became minister," Ong (left) told a press conference in his constituency of Pandan in Selangor this morning.

Pressed as to who the transport minister responsible for the AES proposal was, Ong named another former transport minister, Chan Kong Choy.

However, Ong did not want to blame anyone for the outsourcing, saying that his chief concern was to service his constituency.

"But please, for God's sake, don't say Ong Tee Keat is pinpointing anybody for this... I am not interested in verbal stabs."

Ong said it was the Finance Ministry that made the final decision to outsource the AES system on behalf of the cabinet.

Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd and ATES Sdn Bhd, which secured the AES contract, have been accused of being crony companies of the BN leadership, out to make huge profits from traffic offence summonses issued to motorists.

Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri has denied this and told Parliament that the AES scheme is not a means to enrich cronies of the government.

[More to follow]