DAP MP Tony Pua has urged an investigation into parties responsible for a RM85 million project to implement an Automated Fare Collection (AFC) system for KTM Berhad as completion is nowhere in sight even after two years.

NONE The project awarded to Hopetech Sdn Bhd in January 2011 was slated for completion in April 2012 and then delayed to January 2013.

"I have received reliable information that the situation is so bad that hardware procured for the project have since been damaged, stolen or lost as a result of neglect and prolonged extension," said the Petaling Jaya Utara MP in a press statement.

The award of the contract by the Transport Ministry was also previously questioned as it was said that the contract to Hopetech was 18% more expensive than two other bidders.

Pua said that previous transport minister Kong Cho Ha, also the MCA secretary-general, and KTMB officials had said the award was under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). Despite this, Hopetech was allowed to proceed with the work.

"The new Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussein must immediately take action and bring those responsible for the above fiasco to book," the DAP MP added.

Pua further questioned why Hopetech was not punished for the delay and why MACC did not take action.

He hoped that the Najib administration would now take this up as a benchmark case to show the government's new resolve to tackle any waste of taxpayer's monies.

Hopetech's CEO Mohamed Zafril Mohamed Zabdin could not be reached for immediate comment.

According to its website, the company's partners included government-linked agencies such as Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera, Mavcap and Perbadanan Nasional Bhd.