AN MCA Youth leader said the unity among several Pakatan Harapan (PH) elected representatives concerning the Selangor Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) project appears to whitewash the entire controversy.
According to its secretary-general Saw Yee Fung, the “mutual protectionist actions” of Minister and Deputy Minister of Communications Fahmi Fadzil and Teo Nie Ching, Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin and Selangor exco Ng Sze Han in their respective statements “inevitably fuel further suspicions about the award of the Selangor DRT project”.
“For years before capturing federal office, they had always advocated that all government procurements must undergo open tenders while relative of high-ranking officials are prohibited from benefiting from government projects,” Saw said in a statement on Friday (May 31).
“However, the exposé of the DRT project reveals that the project was awarded without going through an open tender, while public figures connected to the project are frontline DAP leaders, including Cabinet Ministers and a spouse.”
In the past week, various parties have trained their guns on the Selangor government for alleged nepotism in the DRT programme.
The allegations centre on the selection of Asia Mobility Sdn Bhd (Asia Mobiliti) as one of two companies chosen for the trial project.
Asia Mobiliti’s chief executive officer Ramachandran Muniandy is the husband of Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh.
Cronyism, nepotism
According to Saw, it is crystal clear that the Selangor state government has awarded the DRT project without an open tender process, and thus the fact remains that Yeoh’s husband’s company is the beneficiary.
“Hence, doesn’t this amount to cronyism, behind-the-scenes dealings, and nepotism that DAP has often condemned?” she questioned.
Citing Teo, who on Wednesday (May 29) said that it is too early to demand Yeoh’s resignation as Youth and Sports Minister as no one has shown concrete proof of a conflict of interest or power abuse as alleged, Saw asked if the Kulai MP would still demand further evidence if this incident had occurred during the Barisan Nasional (BN) administration.
“Isn’t this double standard? Is this how DAP defines justice? Since the controversy broke out, other PH leaders including Fahmi, Yeo Bee Yin and Ng Sze Han now unanimously sing another tune,” she remarked.
“They now claim that the plan in question is merely ‘Proof of Concept’ not contracts – a lame attempt at diverting attention from the fact that the Selangor government did not practise open tender.”
Referring to Asia Mobiliti’s statement on Monday (May 27) that the appointment is only valid for nine months, Saw said this indicates that both Asia Mobiliti and BadanBas Coach Sdn Bhd (the other company chosen for the trial project), which were issued a letter of intent, would have invested heavily in vehicle procurement, driver recruitment and technical development.
“Which business would be willing to invest significant manpower and funds without certainty or a contract?” Saw questioned.
“Thus, whether it’s proof of concept, short-term contracts, or long-term contracts, as long as public funds are involved, it’s just a difference in name.”
Saw went on to lament the fact that PH had still refrained from clarifying why the state government had failed to practise an open tender policy but had directly awarded the contract to the husband of a Cabinet minister.
“The issue is not about the length or nature of the contract, but rather the lack of open tender and existence of cronyism,” she stressed.
“Ng (Sze Han) had previously emphasised that the project in question was approved by the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) under the Transport Ministry, whose minister is none other than Anthony Loke Siew Fook who is also the DAP secretary-general.
“Was the Transport Minister unaware of this project award? Or was is he complicit to it? This is another area for concern.
“MCA Youth urges PH to state whether they still support open tender, or if they have abandoned their past principles and stances since taking office.
“If PH now believes that direct award of contracts to cronies is acceptable, they can unequivocally state so without evasion.” – May 31, 2024
Main pic credit: Akhbar Rakyat
