KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Minister’s office yesterday lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over the suspicious implementation of the Automated Enforcement System (AES) project by the previous government.
The Defence Minister’s special duties officer Rafizal Ali (pix) said personnel from the office had gone to the MACC to hand over the results of the investigation carried out by the governance, procurement and finance committee chaired by Tan Sri Ambrin Buang on the implementation of the AES project.
According to him, the investigation committee believed that selecting the Armed Forces Fund Board to take over the AES was more of an attempt to cover up allegations that the government was trying to execute a ‘bail-out’.
“The results of the investigation tabled to the ministry on Jan 28 found that the implementation of the AES project was more beneficial to the concessionaires and put the government at risk of losses.
“There is suspicion over the fact why LTAT had to pay a total of RM555 million to take over AES when the original cost was RM40 million,“ he said in a statement
Apart from that, he added, the committee found that there was interference from members of the government administration including the former prime minister and several former Cabinet ministers who were more inclined towards their political interests. — Bernama
