Yen Yen calls for MACC probe

KUALA LUMPUR: Following allegations of “ambiguity” in Tourism Malaysia’s tender process by an international advertising agency, the Tourism Ministry has asked the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to investigate the accusations. Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen that said she had invited the commission to conduct the probe last Friday because she wanted to clear her officers’ names. “I’m doing this to make sure they will have justice,” she said. “All advertising and promotion contracts were done according to the open tender process regulations,” Dr Ng said at a news conference to announce the Malaysia International Shoe Festival (MISF) 2011 here yesterday.

Integrated Strategic Communications, which had worked on the Malaysia, Truly Asia campaign for 12 years, recently withdrew from the programme, citing “ambiguity” in the tender process. Reiterating that the tender process was conducted in a transparent manner, Dr Ng said the commission was not investigating anyone in the ministry. “It is entirely in their hands,” she said.
Dr Ng also refuted reports that the tender for the campaign was worth RM300mil a year, saying that it was only RM127mil.

MACC investigations director Datuk Mustafar Ali said his officers had taken away some documents from the ministry and recorded statements from some of the staff. He said: “It was not a raid, merely an investigation.”
-thestar online.