DAP MP says YTL admits piggybacking network on e-learning project

PETALING JAYA, July 25 ― YTL Corporation has admitted to riding on the multi-billion virtual learning programme awarded to the conglomerate in order to expand its nascent Internet service network, according to a DAP lawmaker pursuing the matter.

Last week, Bukit Bendera lawmaker Zairil Khir Johari raised suspicions that YTL could be benefiting its YES 4G wireless Internet service through the infrastructure work it was contracted to do as part of the Education Ministry’s e-learning scheme.

“YTL, which is an Internet Service Provider through their YES 4G product, will in essence be installing transmission towers in schools all over the country. This will effectively allow them to use these towers to expand their YES 4G broadband services for additional commercial gain,” he said in a statement today.

“This fact was conceded by YTL director Yeoh Seok Hong in a report by fz.com on 10 May 2013, where he was quoted as saying that the ‘towers going up at the schools won’t just provide wireless Internet connectivity at the school, but in surrounding areas too.’”

The first-term lawmaker said the admission rendered the entire exercise suspect, as it was in essence taxpayers and public schools funding the commercial expansion of YTL’s YES 4G network in the name of promoting e-learning.

Previously, Zairil also queried the ministry on the award of the contract to YTL given that the agreed-upon fee for the Chromebook laptops to be used by students in the project was higher than retail prices in the open market.

Basing his estimate of RM1,255 per laptop on a parliamentary reply by Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan, Zairil pointed out that this was higher than the RM988 that the same model was being sold for to local consumers by makers Samsung.

But now, the opposition MP said, the final price may be even higher.

“[It] is also explained that the mobile labs, which hosts 41 Chromebooks per lab, will cost RM86,000 in total,” he noted.

At that number, the total cost of Chromebooks for each lab was RM51,455, which would leave RM34,545 unaccounted for.

“Hence, it means that the RM1,255 price tag is not inclusive of other peripherals but simply for the Chromebooks themselves. If that is the case, then it is a very high price to pay!” he added.

The 1 BestariNet project is touted as “high-speed 4G mobile Internet and a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)” that will be rolled out to schools nationwide together with the Chromebook laptops at an overall cost of RM1.32 billion.