KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has crippled a cartel which monopolised government projects worth RM3.8 billion following the arrest of seven people.
The MACC has been arresting all the suspects, including its 47-year-old mastermind, since yesterday night.
According to The Star, it is believed that the cartel, dubbed as a “project cartel”, had monopolised a total of 345 tenders involving ministries and government agencies nationwide, where the projects are said to be worth RM3.8 billion.
Quoting sources, the report said the mastermind of the cartel controlled 150 companies that were being used to submit tender bids to ministries and agencies.
“He created different companies and employed individuals as company directors, but the fact is he owns the companies himself. The focus of the syndicate is on facility maintenance and development projects,” read the report that was published today.
The syndicate is said to have been operating since 2014 where the sundicate also has “insiders” to assist the mastermind’s companies to submit and eventually secure their tender bids.
“The modus operandi is that the cartel will pay to obtain information such as the project’s specifications, the ceiling price and the number of participations,” read the report quoting sources.
The MACC had been monitoring the group and moved in late last night to arrest the suspects.
The report said the suspects had gathered at the syndicate’s operating centre to fill new tender forms before they were nabbed by the MACC raiding team.
No location was given on the MACC raid, but the arrests were believed to have been carried out in Putrajaya.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki confirmed the arrests and said the case was being investigated under Section 17 and 18 of the MACC Act 2009.
The seven suspects have been brought to the Putrajaya Magistrates’ Court for a remand order.
The suspects were remanded for six days beginning today after Magistrate Shah Wira Abdul Halim approved the MACC’s application.
