MACC still pursuing case on Jepak Holdings over scandal
KUCHING: The Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission ( MACC) is still pursuing its case against Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, the contractor to supply solar energy to 369 schools in Sarawak, over some irregularities.
The anti-graft agency told news portal Malaysiakini that it was taking steps towards investigating the solar hybrid project meant to power these rural schools.
The commission also said it had initiated its investigation on the company even before the recent general election.
“MACC would like to inform that it had taken proactive action by conducting a preliminary investigation on the issue in early April 2018, which was before the general election, after receiving a tip- off from the public,” Malaysiakini quoted MACC.
Documents linked to the project, the commission added, have been seized from the Education Ministry in accordance with the MACC Act 2009, and will be scrutinised to see if there are elements of graft involved. It urged the public to be patient until it completes its investigations into the matter.
Prior to the article, whistleblower Sarawak Report revealed that
MACC would like to inform that it had taken proactive action by conducting a preliminary investigation on the issue in early April 2018, which was prior the general election, after receiving a tip-off from the public. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak bypassed the Education Ministry’s procurement guidelines and directly awarded the project to a car rental company in January last year. It also noted that not a single solar power unit had been installed so far.
Sarawak Report also alleged that Najib, who was also Finance Minister then, signed off hundreds of millions of ringgit for the solar project for schools in Sarawak, in what the whistleblower claimed was a scam. It also alleged that the company’s managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin had benefited from his contacts with Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.
Malaysiakini also reported having sighted documents related to this project.
Meanwhile, MACC deputy chief commissioner of operations Azam Baki stressed that there has been no pressure from any party to disrupt the investigation.
“We also did not receive information that the ministry staff who raised concerns on the project was transferred,” he told Malaysiakini.
Through The Borneo Post, Jepak Holdings on Sunday denied any wrongdoing in the matter, though it did concede that it secured the contract through direct negotiations with the previous administration.
Saidi also stressed the actual cost of the project was RM750 million, and not the cited RM1.25 billion, and that Jepak had not received any payment related to the project.
Saidi is contemplating lodging a police report against Sarawak Report for publishing an article about its project ‘based on lies’.
He said while it is true that he had secured the project through direct negotiation with the previous federal government to supply solar energy to 369 schools in Sarawak, the cost is RM750 million and not RM1.2 billion as alleged by the website.
“The RM1.2 billion is the total cost of various projects including maintenance and supply of diesel. If one cares to compare the cost of RM750 million covering 369 schools, it is in fact cheaper than the cost of a similar project in Sabah which only covers 176 schools,” he said when contacted on Sunday.
“(The) project has been awarded, however, (and) the company is in the midst of submitting plans. We have not collected any money related to the project. The solar energy project for schools in Sarawak started in 2015 is ongoing.
“The direct negotiation contract is legal. How could it not be legal? We will lodge a police report soon against Sarawak Report after I have talked to my lawyers. Its article is based on lies,” stressed Saidi, who called the article baseless and calculated to disparage his reputation as a businessman.
When contacted yesterday, Saidi said he would comment on the latest happenings after consultation with his lawyer.