KUALA LUMPUR: The government is in the process of taking legal action, including filing civil suits against MyEG Sdn Bhd and Zetrix AI Bhd, for failing to settle all outstanding government revenue and penalties within the stipulated period.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government viewed the failure to remit the revenue seriously, as government collections must not be used as part of a company's operating funds, while any delay in handing over the money constituted a serious breach of the terms of the agreement.
He said that to prevent a recurrence, the Transport Ministry and the Road Transport Department (JPJ) were examining several improvements, including reducing reliance on third-party agents through the use of JPJ's digital channels.
One of the proposed measures is a new mechanism using the Treasury Minor Receipts Account, which would allow government revenue to be channelled directly into government accounts without passing through third-party accounts.
"This proposal is being discussed by the Transport Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Accountant General's Department," he said when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2027 (Budget 2027) at the policy stage for the Transport Ministry in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 27).
Loke said the Accounts Receivable module in the Government Revenue Management System would also be tightened to enable transactions to be automatically suspended if a collection agent failed to remit revenue within one working day of the transaction (T+1).
"The government has also proposed making it mandatory for any company appointed as a collection agent to provide a bank guarantee from its parent company, as a measure to protect government revenue against the risk of leakage," he said.
The government had earlier suspended MYEG and Zetrix AI Bhd from providing collection agent services for JPJ after the two companies failed to remit RM314mil in collections to the government for the period from May 19 to Sept 30.
Following this, the ministry stipulated full settlement of all outstanding revenue and late-transfer penalties as an absolute prerequisite before any extension approval or further operational consideration could be granted.
On the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) service, Loke said its fare structure was based on a dynamic pricing mechanism that took into account travel times, the period when tickets were purchased and seat-class options to offer competitive and affordable fares.
He said fare-setting also took into account comparisons with other modes of transport, concessionary discounts and periodic promotions to ensure a balance between affordability for passengers and the sustainability of ECRL operations.
"Therefore, fare packages and travel passes are being considered for introduction by the operator, ECRL Operations Sdn Bhd, from time to time," he said, referring to a proposal to introduce family fare packages and regular travel passes for passengers who frequently travel between the East Coast and the Klang Valley.
On the maritime industry, Loke said the ministry was actively developing a comprehensive national maritime master plan through the appointment of a specialised consultancy firm to strengthen and enhance the country's domestic shipping sector as a whole.
"The consultancy firm is expected to finalise the study and develop a strategic plan for implementation in the second quarter of 2027," he said.
He said the initiative would also examine various key components, including the implementation of an appropriate cabotage policy to support the growth of the shipping industry and logistics activities between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. – Bernama
