Security tender cartels threaten governance, warns senator

 

Senator Sivaraj Chandran has raised the alarm over the growing influence of cartels in government security tenders, calling the issue “too precise to be a mere coincidence.”

The Dewan Negara member pointed out that these cartels have been systematically controlling which companies are awarded contracts, particularly in the Education Ministry.

“During the debate on the Private Agencies (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Senate, I emphasised a matter that many have long known, but few dare to speak about openly.

“The existence of an increasingly organised and audacious cartel controlling government security control tenders, particularly in the Education Ministry and several other ministries.

“When tender results are known before the tender is even opened, it is not a procurement process; it is influence peddling,” he said in a statement today.

‘Unofficial conditions’

Sivaraj claimed that companies with excellent performance records are often sidelined simply because they refuse to comply with the “unofficial conditions imposed by certain groups”.

The senator expressed his dissatisfaction over the matter, pointing out that the government's demands for integrity and transparency are at odds with this practice, which will eventually erode public trust.

Sivaraj lamented that these cartels operate with such confidence as if they are the true owners of government contracts.

“If the private sector can decide who wins tenders, then ministries lose authority, the government loses credibility, and the public loses confidence,” he cautioned.

Thwart the ‘untouchable’ now

Sivaraj called on the Home Ministry and MACC to take immediate action, asserting that any delay would simply strengthen the cartel's perception that they are untouchable.

“I also believe that the MACC is investigating the network controlling contracts worth millions of ringgit annually. What needs to be stopped is not the small players, but the entire chain.

“Security contracts are not a game. They involve schools, public institutions, and public safety.

“If cartels continue to decide who wins tenders, we are building a nation where corruption becomes a culture. Action must be taken now, not later,” he stressed. - Mkini