NEPOTISM & CORRUPTION, FROM NAJIB TO ZAHID: Will Zahid's brother get the contract?

Amidst financial scandals involving the transfer of USD700 mil (or RM2.6 billion) into the private accounts of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, claims of illegal donations and vote buying by BN to win the 2013 national polls, we are shocked into yet another project that stinks of cronyism and patronage politics.

When will Malaysia learn?

In comes Real Time Networking - the company that belongs to Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahidi’s brother who is bidding for the contract to bring in 1.5million migrant workers from Bangladesh.

The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) warns that this bid smacks of blatant conflict of interest, nepotism and collusion, as Ahmad Zahid is also the Home Minister who oversees the approval of the incoming migrant workers.

Nepotism is termed and understood as the preferential treatment of a relative of a public official. Nepotism involves advancing a public official’s private interests (in getting perks, for a relative) at the expense of the public interest (in having the most qualified person in that position).

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 under its Anti-Nepotism Provisions subhead clearly states the definition of the term “relative”. It includes in this term the following individuals: a spouse, brother or sister, brother or sister of a spouse, a lineal ascendant or descendant of the individual or their spouse, a lineal descendant of an individual’s brother or sister, an aunt, uncle or cousin, and a son- in-law or daughter-in-law.”

Zahid Hamidi and PM Najib

Claims that Zahid, the Home Minister, had given his ministry a handwritten note to review his brother’s company proposal, and evaluate it in “a fair and objective manner” is indeed a clear violation of international code of ethics on good governance that have clear aims to push out the ugly twins of nepotism and cronyism into the bin.

Any act seen as giving his brother’s company preferential treatment totally ignores the all pertinent need for public accountability that the country needs now more than ever, as investors flee our financial markets, leading to the all time lowest plunge of the ringgit to dip below the RM4.00 to the US Dollar.

Zahid’s brother - Abdul Hakim Hamidi can also attempt to rubbish claims of nepotism but how does he explain that he has been given the unfair advantage - when his brother the Home Minister pens his ministry a special note to review his company - to win the bid to transport 1.5 million Bangladeshis into the country?

C4 seeks explanations from Zahid on the rationale behind the entry of 1.5 million migrant workers from Bangladesh, and for the sudden emergence of Real Time Networking, as a player, when there are already two other companies - NERS Sdn Bhd and MyEG doing similar jobs of managing the entry of migrant workers to Malaysia.

Zahid must explain what has become of NERS, which had won a 12-year contract to record and monitor the immigration of foreign workers to Malaysia in 2011.

Malaysian taxpayers are curious why another company is bidding for the Home Ministry contact when NERS already issues Visit Passes for Temporary Employment, and obtains a payment of RM50 for each pass issued. This comes under the jurisdiction of the Immigration Department which reports to the Home Ministry.

In January 2015, MyEG Services Bhd. became the sole online service provider of Visit Passes for Temporary Employment. Each renewal of the passes cost RM38. There were allegations of monopoly against MyEG and the company was probed by the Malaysian Competition Commission.

C4 wants Zahid to inform and update taxpayers of what has happened to the probe.

Put an end to Malaysia’s misery, Zahid. Save Malaysians, and not your family!

Cynthia Gabriel is founding director of Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism (C4)