PETALING JAYA: Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong has demanded that the government cancel the award of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) contract, saying that it was awarded on “dubious grounds”. He instead urged the government to call for an open tender.
The AES is multi-million ringgit speed camera system to nab traffic offenders. It is set to be implemented nationwide.
"I ask the government to immediately cancel the AES contract to Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd and Commercial Circle Sdn Bhd, on the grounds that the award was made in dubious circumstances through a request for (selective) tender. It should be through an open tender," Wee said.
He questioned why an open tender was not called “for such a large project” that would "change the whole enforcement system".
He warned that the possible failure of the system would be detrimental to the government, as fines slapped on the public would need to be returned.
"I'm sure the government does not want this system to fail and public funds wasted just because of negligence or 'willful blindness'... of certain officials at the Road Transport Department (RTD).
"The moment we heard that this was a request for tender project, we smell a rat," said the former PKR MP-turned-independent.
Special panel
Wee wants a “special panel” to be formed, comprising Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officials and other experts.
"But those who were previously involved in this (contract) should not sit in the panel. This to show fairness and transparency.
"The AES should be awarded through an open tender. A detailed study of the AES must be made so that it is free of damage.
"It must be prepared by companies with calibre and financial stability, not just those selected by the RTD as was done by (former transport minister) Chan Kong Choy," said Wee.
Wee alleged that one of the companies awarded the contract, Betap Tegap, had failed to submit its account to the Companies Commission Malaysia since 2004.
In his recent speech in Parliament, he claimed that "some RTD officers” were instrumental in getting the transport ministry to amend the Road Transport Act, but the amendment was withdrawn due to protests.
"I believe that Mohamad Solah Hassan, the RTD director-general, was disappointed with this withdrawal," he said.
Wee also asked why Solah was quickly promoted from his previous position as an enforcement
director. He called the unscheduled promotion a "road transport bypass".
He also trained his guns on Chan.
"Why was the Cabinet in a rush to award the AES project to these two companies at the very last seconds of Chan's tenure as transport minister and also before the Road Transport Act was tabled and approved by Parliament?"
"This raises a lot of suspicion and that something is wrong or that there is abuse of power or corruption going on."
Questionable system
Wee said Chan was also the one who initiated a selective tender through a “request for proposal" when he was the minister in 2006.
"Solah cannot say he is not aware of this at all. He must answer. Why the request for tender? The current minister, Kong (Cho Ha) is duty-bound to provide answers," he said.
Wee claimed that the accuracy of the system used by both these companies was also not properly evaluated for its effectiveness due to a "few personalities" who were involved in the assessment process.
Beta Tegap would be using the Redflex system from Australia while Commercial Circle would be using the German Robot.
"If Solah and his RTD officers, who were entrusted with the AES project, had done a detailed study of the AES, they would have surely found that the Redflex system used by Beta Tegap is inaccurate as was reported in the United States in 2007 and 2008 and also in Australia in 2010.
"I was also informed that the Robot system used by Commercial Circle also faces the same problem in Australia.
"There are many more states in Australia that had reported similar problem (of inaccuracy) and it ultimately forced the government there to refund the fines issued to the public," he said.
Wee added that the government should not rush into awarding the AES contract as the two systems have a proven record of failures.
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