Businessman Abdul Hakim Hamidi today clarified that his company Real Time Networking is not making a lot of money from the recruitment of 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers.

Hakim, who is the brother of Home Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said the firm is not providing the management system in Malaysia, but is assisting agents in Bangladesh.

He said Real Time is providing a system to the Bangladesh Association of International Recruitment Agencies (Baira), in exchange for a contract of providing other services to the migrant workers when they reach Malaysia.

This includes providing them with mobile phone SIM cards and cash cards to better manage their wages, he told Malaysiakini .

“I’m not making a huge profit, just small commissions. Even Allah rewards you for good deeds, so why begrudge me a few sen?

“We make up our expenses through the volume, so we can make some money for our children and grandchildren,” he said.

Malaysiakini last year reported that Real Time was among the firms eyeing the deal to provide a management system for the 1.5 Bangladeshi workers.

This prompted DAP’s Bukit Bendera MP Zairil Khir Johari to call for Real Time to be disqualified for the deal due to conflict of interest.

The government finally named Synerflux Sdn Bhd as the sole supplier for the management system. Synerflux will not be paid by the government but will charge a fee to workers and agents.

However, media articles quoting Zairil's statement at the time are making rounds on the internet again.

Hakim said he has been receiving calls on the matter since yesterday.

“DAP stands for democratic action party, but Zairil is anything but democratic.

“He says I should not be involved in this because of my brother when I am a professional IT man. How is this democratic?” he asked Malaysiakini , fuming.

“DAP should just change its name to RAP – Racist Action Party. Change the logo to a lantern instead of a rocket, because they never made it anywhere. At least BN (government) sent a man to space,” he said.

He said it is unfair for opposition MPs to call for his exclusion in such deals, especially since it is not a government contract and he did not use his brother’s influence to win it.

“Imagine my brother is a captain of a ship, and the ship is sinking. I am a passenger and have an idea of how to deal with it.

"Do I just sit there and let the ship sink because the captain is my brother?” he asked.

He also condemned those who are against the management system the government is putting in place to bring in the 1.5 million workers.

“Before a system was put in, these agents were buying and selling people, making several thousand of ringgit per worker.

“Now we have a minister who is trying to put in a better solution and still people are making noise. What is this?” he asked.