Spanco boss claims trial to cheating Finance Ministry in RM3b case
Tan, 83, was accused of committing the offence under Section 420 of the Penal Code, between Feb 27 and Feb 28, 2019, at the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya...
Spanco Sdn Bhd tycoon Robert Tan Hua Choon has claimed trial to a charge of cheating the Finance Ministry into awarding his company a 15-year contract worth over RM3 billion to supply, maintain, and manage official government vehicles.
The 83-year-old was accused of committing the offence under Section 420 of the Penal Code, between Feb 27 and 28, 2019, at the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya.
According to the charge, Tan had allegedly deceived a ministry’s tender committee by submitting a bidder’s profile which stated that Spanco had a 30 percent bumiputera stake.
“…and therefore you have in a dishonest manner pushed the Finance Ministry into awarding the ‘Supply, Repair, Maintenance and Management of Government of Malaysia Vehicle Fleet’ contract valued at RM3,966,386,628 to Spanco Sdn Bhd, whereas the Finance Ministry would not have done so unless deceived in such a manner,” the charge sheet read.
The charge carries a minimum one-year prison sentence or up to 10 years imprisonment and whipping, as well as a fine.
DPP Mahadi Jumaat later said both parties had agreed to a bail of RM2 million, which Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin granted.
Additional bail conditions
Mahadi also requested the court to impose additional bail conditions including for Tan to surrender his passport, to report to the nearest MACC office on the first week of every month, and not be allowed to communicate with any trial witnesses.
Lawyer Wan Azmir Wan Majid, who appeared for Tan, said while the RM2 million bail was “very high”, his client has agreed to the proposed amount.
“I request that bail be reduced as the one posting bail is his own son,” he said.
Wan Azmil also cited the tycoon’s health conditions including hypertension, knee pain and back pain as factors to request for the reporting requirement to be reduced to once every three months until the trial is over.
Meanwhile, Spanco watching brief lawyer Razlan Hadri Zulkifly requested clarifications on the restriction against Tan from communicating with prosecution witnesses working for the company, given the latter’s status as an active director.
Apart from the agreed bail amount, Suzana ordered Tan to surrender his passport, report to the nearest MACC office once every two months, and not interfere with or make contact with potential witnesses.
She also set June 4 for the next case management date.
Spanco, established in 1988, is the largest independent provider of fleet management solutions in Malaysia.
In 1993, it was awarded a 25-year concession agreement with the government.
