The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has called in several key personalities linked to Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd for questioning over the recent award of a KTMB tender to revamp its ticketing system.

It is understood that one of those called in is a staff member of the national railway corporation.

They are said to have given their statements to the commission's investigating officers this week.

The MACC action follows a Malaysiakini report on a contract valued at RM100 million being given to a company that was supposedly "underqualified" and a more expensive tenderer.

The company had won the contract with a bid for RM85 million, despite two other companies bidding RM13 million less. The other two companies have previously had projects with the KTMB ticketing system.

Evaluation processes rigged

It is understood that in the project to overhaul the Automatic Fare Collection System in all 56 KTM Komuter stations in the Klang Valley and Seremban, the technical evaluation processes were rigged to qualify the company to win the bid.

The letter of award was issued by transport ministry secretary-general Long See Wool on Dec 21, despite the MACC already initiating the investigation.

The MACC had previously raided the KTMB offices in Kuala Lumpur twice, once in December and again last week.

In the meantime, the transport ministry and KTMB have pledged to cooperate with the MACC, but have insisted that the ticketing system project should still go on.