MACC raids Tourism Ministry

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raided the offices of the Tourism Ministry and a company which received part of a lucrative advertising and promotions contract. The visit by a team of MACC investigators on Friday was part of investigation into claims that the tender process aiming for a share of the RM381 million advertising and promotions contract budget was not above board.

The MACC officers spent about two hours taking documents and questioning officers and staff of both the ministry and the company in question, Impact Creations (M) Sdn Bhd. MACC investigations director Datuk Mustafar Ali confirmed the raids, saying it was a routine procedure in gathering evidence. "We took some documents and recorded statements from witnesses," he told theSun.

The MACC’s probe follows a report by Integrated Strategic Communications (ISC) CEO Austen Zecha who alleged that all’s not right with the tender process. In fact in his report Zecha had predicted the eventual recipients of the five jobs for the 2011-2013 period: Naga DDB Sdn Bhd (Asean); Smascom & Designs Sdn Bhd (North & East Asia); Sen Media Sdn Bhd (South Asia, West Asia & Africa); M&C Saatchi Sdn Bhd (Europe, America, Oceania) and Impact Creations (M) Sdn Bhd (Domestic & Events). Zecha had also withdrawn his bid, citing "ambiguous" tender procedures.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that investigations have also been extended to properties owned by senior government officials and whether there could be any link to any of the tender bidders.
- theSun