YOUTH and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh opted to remain tight-lipped regarding the ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of a firm associated with her husband to manage a public transport service in Selangor.
Asia Mobility Technologies Sdn Bhd (Asia Mobiliti) helmed by Yeoh’s spouse Ramachandran Muniandy has been selected alongside Badanbas Coach Sdn Bhd to conduct a nine-month proof of concept (POC) for a demand-responsive transit (DRT) project in the state.
Despite mounting concerns from various quarters regarding potential favouritism and conflicts of interest in the selection process, Yeoh deflected queries from reporters during a ministry event, noting its unrelated nature to her portfolio.
“This is a Youth and Sports Ministry event, and that has nothing to do with the ministry,” Yeoh told reporters when asked about the issue at the ministry here today.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) led by chief Tan Sri Azam Baki has announced that no investigation will be initiated into the awarding of the DRT project, citing the absence of a direct nexus between Yeoh’s ministry and the decision-making within the Selangor government.
“It was the state who decided on the matter. It was the Selangor Menteri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Amirudi Shari who decided on it. It was not her decision,” he said at a meeting with representatives from the online media on Tuesday (May 28).
Moreover, Amirudin explained the rationale behind the selection, asserting that Asia Mobiliti and Badanbas Coach were greenlit for the POC based on approvals from the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad).
“Even if we were to conduct an open tender, only two companies at that time had permission to do the POC … so questions about whether there should have been an open tender or not are not valid,” he told a press conference at the Seri Selangor Golf Club in Petaling Jaya.
However, the Selangor MB affirmed his willingness to disclose comprehensive details regarding Asia Mobiliti’s appointment and the Apad meeting minutes.
Meanwhile, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil sought to clarify misconceptions, stating that the DRT project had not been outrightly awarded to Asia Mobiliti but rather, the firm had been tasked solely with overseeing the POC for a nine-month period. – May 31, 2024
Main photo credit: Bernama
