KUALA LUMPUR: Eighteen enterprises are being investigated for suspected bid-rigging involving 30 public sector tenders for food supplies to schools and public universities, as well as cleaning services, says Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister said the tenders, worth RM108.3mil, were issued by 12 public sector entities, comprising six ministries, three public universities, two state Islamic religious departments and one federal statutory body.
"Among the evidence obtained by the Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) are the centralised coordination and preparation of tender documents, the exchange of information including proposed bid prices, and the sharing of financial and human resources among the enterprises involved," he said during his ministry’s winding-up session in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Oct 28).
He said the enterprises had been given the opportunity to submit representations before MyCC issued its final decision.
Armizan also said MyCC had taken enforcement action against 58 companies over alleged bid-rigging, with penalties totalling RM98.49mil across cases at the proposed and final decision stages.
The commission was also investigating 510 companies suspected of similar activities involving tenders worth more than RM3bil across the public and private sectors.
"This is part of the government’s procurement policy of prioritising open tendering, enforcement against cartel practices involving bid-rigging under the Competition Act 2010," he said.
On another matter, Armizan said the proposed lemon law, which would grant car buyers specific remedies, had reached the policy stage, with the initial proposal covering only new vehicles.
However, the proposal had to be revised following suggestions to extend the law to used vehicles.
"The draft is being circulated to ministries for review and I hope to present it to the Cabinet in November," he said.
