KTMB: No role in disputed tender
Regina LeePublished: Jan 10, 2011 5:10 AM | Updated: Jan 10, 2011 12:00 PM
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) has disclaimed any role in a tender for a project that is now being probed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) has disclaimed any role in a tender for a project that is now being probed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.
The tender process was allegedly rigged to allow an allegedly underqualified company to win with a RM85 million bid for a contract to revamp the ticketing system in all 56 KTM Komuter stations in the Klang Valley and Negri Sembilan.
KTMB chairperson Mohd Zin Mohamed said that this had nothing to do with his company because they were merely the “end-users” in the deal.
“Our role in the entire process is just to conduct the technical evaluation... In the end, it is the transport ministry that is on the tender board and we have nothing to do with it,” he said.
According to Mohd Zin, KTMB was not the sole party in the technical evaluation team, that it says includes the Public Works Department and Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana).
Prasarana, wholly owned by the finance ministry, operates light rail transit operations in the Klang Valley, bus operations in Penang and the Klang Valley as well as the cable car service in Langkawi.
“As far as I know, KTMB is just the end user,” he said repeatedly.
Unperturbed by MACC probe
However, he said that KTMB was open to MACC's investigation.
“If MACC wants to investigate, they can go ahead,” he said.
Meanwhile, the transport ministry could not be reached for comment.
MACC’s investigation team raided KTMB offices in Kuala Lumpur twice, once in December and again as recently as last week.
It is understood that the project to replace the entire KTM Komuter ticketing system in all of the 56 stations in Klang Valley and Negeri Sembilan, initially estimated to cost RM100 million, have been riddled with irregularities in the tender process.
It is learnt that the winning company submitted a bid that was RM13 million higher than the lowest bid and was underqualified for the job.
The tender process was allegedly rigged to allow an allegedly underqualified company to win with a RM85 million bid for a contract to revamp the ticketing system in all 56 KTM Komuter stations in the Klang Valley and Negri Sembilan. KTMB chairperson Mohd Zin Mohamed said that this had nothing to do with his company because they were merely the “end-users” in the deal.
“Our role in the entire process is just to conduct the technical evaluation... In the end, it is the transport ministry that is on the tender board and we have nothing to do with it,” he said.
According to Mohd Zin, KTMB was not the sole party in the technical evaluation team, that it says includes the Public Works Department and Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad (Prasarana).
Prasarana, wholly owned by the finance ministry, operates light rail transit operations in the Klang Valley, bus operations in Penang and the Klang Valley as well as the cable car service in Langkawi.
“As far as I know, KTMB is just the end user,” he said repeatedly.
Unperturbed by MACC probe
However, he said that KTMB was open to MACC's investigation.
“If MACC wants to investigate, they can go ahead,” he said.
Meanwhile, the transport ministry could not be reached for comment.
MACC’s investigation team raided KTMB offices in Kuala Lumpur twice, once in December and again as recently as last week.
It is understood that the project to replace the entire KTM Komuter ticketing system in all of the 56 stations in Klang Valley and Negeri Sembilan, initially estimated to cost RM100 million, have been riddled with irregularities in the tender process.
It is learnt that the winning company submitted a bid that was RM13 million higher than the lowest bid and was underqualified for the job.
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