Editor’s Note: Embattled Hannah Yeoh broke her silence yesterday (June 1) with this self-explanatory Facebook post:
YOUTH and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has emerged from a self-imposed “quarantine” to comment on the on-going controversy related to the direct responsive transit (DRT) pilot project award to two companies, one of which co-owned and helmed by her husband Ramachandran Muniandy.
There are basically two intertwined issues that is the cause of the present controversy.
Firstly, the award to the two companies were made on the basis of direct negotiations and not on an open tender basis, something that is religiously promoted by the Pakatan Harapan-led unity government and DAP in particular.
The question is why the open tender system was ignored in the award of the DRT to the two companies.
Secondly, is the embarrassing family relationship between Ramachandran as the Asian Mobility CEO and Hannah Yeoh.
Again, the question is how both the Transport Ministry via the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) and the Selangor state government could have ignored the family links in the award of the DRT pilot project.
Surely, the federal agency and the Selangor state government would have known about the family links between the two.
Again, I repeat, I am not questioning the competency and ability of the individuals in Asian Mobility to undertake the task entrusted to them.
A matter of principle
Yeoh might have known about her husband Ramachandran involvement in Asian Mobility and about the DRT award that was procured.
But I am not saying that she had a role in the influencing the award to her husband’s company. She probably had no role at all. It was just that Ramachandran was her husband.
After much hesitation, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is now in the midst of launching an investigation on the companies, the manner the award was procured, why the open tender system was not adopted and whether there were any justifiable reasons for the resorting to the method of direct negotiations.
Of course, the graft buster will ascertain whether Yeoh or even Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook had any role in influencing the award of the project to the two companies.
Yeoh who finally spoke on the matter expressed hope that the MACC investigation will reveal the truth behind the award.
She hoped that the investigation will come with the truth to vindicate her and her husband. She thanked those who stood in solidarity with her during the difficult period.
While the MACC has finally decided to investigate on the basis of “new information” I am not sure how the investigation will alter the fundamental facts of direct negotiations and the involvement of her husband’s company Asian Mobility in the procurement of the DRT pilot project.
Whether the MACC investigates or not the core facts of the controversy will remain – that the award was based on direct award to two companies one of which one was helmed by Yeoh’s husband.
The MACC’s investigation and subsequent findings are not going to alter the problematic and controversial facts of the case.
Whether there is investigation of not, Yeoh must confront the perception of nepotism or favouritism in the award to her husband’s company in the DRT project. Unfortunately for her, this perception of wrongdoing will continue to bother her and family immaterial of the outcome of the MACC’s investigation.
The only way to effectively put an end to this perception is either for Yeoh or her husband to resign from their respective posts.
At least in this way, Yeoh can maintain her moral ground as the face of DAP’s fast shrinking ethical pursuits. – June 2, 2024
Former DAP stalwart and Penang chief minister II Prof Ramasamy Palanisamy is chairman of the United Rights of Malaysian Party (Urimai) interim council.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image credit: Hannah Yeoh Facebook
