HeiTech won JPJ contract before Farhash’s shareholding, says Loke

Transport minister Loke Siew Fook said the Treasury approved the award of the JPJ contract to HeiTech Padu Bhd on Feb 8.

PUTRAJAYA: HeiTech Padu Bhd was awarded the RM190 million contract from the road transport department (JPJ) before Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak became a substantial shareholder in the firm, says transport minister Loke Siew Fook.

Loke said the ministry’s board of acquisitions agreed on Nov 24 that Heitech Padu’s bid for the maintenance of JPJ’s MySikap system and IT infrastructure was the lowest and most reasonable.

“This acknowledgement was submitted to the finance ministry for its final approval on Dec 4 and the Treasury’s approval was given on Feb 8 for a value of RM185 million, excluding service tax,” he said.

He added that the matter was brought up by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim when the Cabinet met earlier today, due to insinuations that the project was awarded to HeiTech Padu over Anwar’s ties with Farhash.

Farhash was formerly Anwar’s political secretary, before the latter was appointed as prime minister.

HeiTech Padu announced on Monday that it had signed the letter of award from JPJ for the RM190 million three-year contract which commences on May 1.

On March 14, the technology services firm said Farhash had acquired an indirect interest of 15.9% (16.1 million shares) in the company, making him a substantial shareholder of HeiTech Padu.

MORE TO COME