Explain 'series of contracts' for Farhash-linked company, says PN

Perikatan Nasional (PN) has expressed concern over a RM190 million contract awarded to a company linked to a loyalist of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and called on Putrajaya to disclose the various lucrative contracts awarded to the company.

On Monday, it was reported that Heitech Padu Bhd was awarded a three-year contract worth RM190.01 million by the Road Transport Department (JPJ) for maintenance works and technical support for ICT infrastructure, including the MySikap system.

Last month, Anwar's former political secretary Farhash Wafa Salvador, through his company Rosetta Partners Sdn Bhd, emerged as the company's largest investor with a 15.91% stake.

In a statement today, PN said the series of contracts awarded to Heitech Padu by the government has raised questions about the tendering process.

"These concerns have been raised by the public mainly because one of the major shareholders of Heitech Padu is the former political secretary to the prime minister," said Khairil Nizam Khirudin, who heads PN's transport portfolio.

He cited reports that the company had won the same contract worth RM36 million back in 2021, which was then renewed in 2023 for RM27 million.

"This begs the question as to why the contract is now worth RM190 million for three years That works out to an average of RM63 million annually. The government needs to respond to this huge increase in value," he said.

He called on both the transport and finance ministries to be transparent in all tendering processes involving Heitech Padu.

"(This) includes the question of the contract's high value as well as all the companies that were shortlisted for the RM190 million project," he added.

Earlier, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said Anwar, who is also the finance minister, and Transport Minister Anthony Loke had explained the contract awarded to Heitech Padu to the Cabinet today.

Fahmi said the contract was approved by the transport ministry on Feb 2 last year dismissing its link to Farhash.

"So there is no connection with the position of any person when the approval was given," Fahmi said.

Farhash's purchase of HeiTech Padu came just a day after MyEG Services Bhd acquired a 14.4% stake in the company for RM31.25 million in cash on March 11.

On the same day, HeiTech Padu announced that its Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs) contract, worth over RM13 million, has been extended by one year.

HeiTech Padu was one of three companies shortlisted by the government to develop the RM1 billion National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe) project to replace MyIMMs.

This was not Farhash's first foray into the world of corporate deals involving listed companies with close ties to the government.

Since his boss became prime minister in November 2022, Farhash has been appointed chairman of three companies: retail chain 7-Eleven, part of billionaire Vincent Tan's empire, a stockbroking firm and a fintech company.

The Farhash case is not the only one raising concerns about nepotism and cronyism in Anwar's government.

The prime minister's daughter, Nurul Izzah Anwar, who was defeated in the last elections, was appointed her father's economic and financial adviser, sparking a wave of condemnation.

Nurul Izzah, a vice-president of PKR, is now an adviser to the National Economic and Strategic Coordination Agency, an agency under the finance ministry led by Anwar.