Fahmi: DRT not a done deal

Meeting the press: Fahmi speaking at the press conference after the Cabinet meeting in Putrajaya. — Bernama

PUTRAJAYA: The Selangor Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT) project has not been awarded to Asia Mobility Technologies Sdn Bhd as claimed, says Fahmi Fadzil.

The Communications Minister said the Cabinet meeting yesterday was informed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that Asia Mobility Technologies had only provided a proof of concept (POC).

(A POC is the process of gathering evidence to support the feasibility of a project. Project managers perform a POC in the early stages of development before committing too much time and resources to a project.)

This is in line with a recent statement issued by Asia Mobility Technologies where it said that the firm was only awarded a nine-month contract, during which it has to prove its capabilities of running the DRT project.

Fahmi was explaining the recent case of the Selangor government awarding a pilot phase project to a company run by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh’s husband, Ramachandran Muniandy.

“The Prime Minister has informed about the Asia Mobility Technologies issue which (the firm) has done the proof of concept in Selangor and he (Anwar) also reminded the Cabinet ministers that the licence held by the company was issued by Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) and there have been no contracts awarded yet.

“And just like what the Prime Minister said on Tuesday, if there are any reports lodged with the authorities, they will conduct the investigation,” he said during a press conference at the Communications Ministry here yesterday.

Asia Mobility Technologies was one of the two companies selected for the new DRT system pilot project under the Selangor Mobility initiative.

Recently, Anwar said that if any reports were lodged, the case should be investigated transparently.

Asia Mobility Technologies’ link with Yeoh was highlighted recently on social media where netizens questioned the merits of the company’s selection and asked whether it was awarded through an open tender, noting that Yeoh’s husband was involved in the company.

On Tuesday, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Tan Sri Azam Baki said there was no need to investigate the case as no offence had been committed.