Penang DAP Socialist Youth wing has lodged a report with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), urging it to probe irregularities in the sale of vanity vehicle plates bearing the word "Patriot" by an obscure NGO.

 

Dapsy state chief Ng Wei Aik wants MACC to probe why the concessionaire, Yayasan Patriot Negara Malaysia (YPN) is "enriched" while the Road Transport Department (RTD) loses out over the sale of the plates.

 

Ng  noted that YPN is targeting between RM10 million and RM15 million in profit from the sales.

 

"The matter raises questions as the sales are conducted by an NGO-linked to Umno, as its director brigadier-general Husainay Hashim was the former working secretary of Umno," Ng ( photo )said outside the MACC branch office in Penang.

 

"Was there an open tender carried out before giving the job to YPN? What is so special about YPN?" he asked.

 

"Is the RTD director or his deputy involved in this? Why must the concession to sell the plates be directly outsourced to YPN as RTD will not benefit from the sales?" Ng  further queried.

 

Ng asked that a special probe be conducted over the personal wealth and properties of the RTD director to see if he is a beneficiary of this 'questionable' project.

 

The issue has raised eyebrows as the reserve price for "Patriot 1" is RM1 million, making it the most expensive vehicle number plate in Malaysian history.

 

It was reported that the RTD had commissioned YPN to conduct the auction and proceeds are to be used by YPN to promote "patriotism".

 

YPN made an application for the project when Hishammuddin Hussein ( photo ) was acting transport minister, but it was only approved after Liow Tiong Lai took charge of the ministry.

 

Ng wants MACC to conduct the probe on YPN and RTD immediately so that if there’s any wrongdoing those involved can be brought to court.

 

'Inefficiency, injustice and leakages'

Meanwhile, PKR national deputy chief Dr Afif Bahardin said the revelation that RTD would only enjoy RM1 million from the project shows the "inefficiency, injustice and leakages" which continue to happen under the BN government.

 

"This project is not fair and does not benefit the rakyat at all, it seems to benefit only cronies closely-linked to Umno," Afif , who is Penang executive councillor said.

 

The Seberang Jaya assemblyman also took Hishammuddin to task for his failure to practise an open tender system in awarding the concession to YPN.

 

Afif ( photo ) said the public does not have much information about YPN and even the NGO's website lacks details about it, save that it is currently involved in the auction of the controversial plates.

 

"There are many more NGOs which are qualified for the job and the profits from the sale could have been channelled to more worthy causes by NGOs like the National Cancer Foundation," he pointed out.