PKR today questioned the government’s awarding of the Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) to a private company that has ties with a former minister.

The system which handles medical examinations of foreign workers and applications for Visa with Reference (VDR) was outsourced to Bestinet Sdn Bhd by the Home Ministry. The system started on Jan 15.

PKR said it was upset by the ministry’s action to outsource a system that involves sensitive information that could be a risk to national security, especially  with a private company handling the matter.

“Why the need to award the contract to Bestinet Sdn Bhd, which was previously an RM2 company and does not have any track record in online systems development?

“Why is this important task outsourced to a private company?” PKR Youth information bureau chief Lee Chean Chung asked at a press conference today.

Lee said this at a press conference at which PKR director of strategy Sim Tze Tsin and treasurer Tan Yee Kew were also present.

He said it was also puzzling that the contract was awarded to an unknown private company that has Azmi Khalid ( right ), a one-time home minister (2004-06), as a director.

“Are the contracts awarded through open tender, and was Azmi involved in the entire process?

“The fact that a former home minister is a director of the company. Clearly, it is a conflict of interest and alludes that the award of the concession is based on relationships and internal negotiations,” Lee said.

“There are goods and services the government can outsource to the private sector, which may lead to higher efficiency and cost cutting, but certainly not the affairs associated with border control, immigration and national security.”

Lee ( left ) revealed that a check done with the Companies Commission of Malaysia showed that Bestinet has not been submitting its financial statements for four years since 2010 and the company status is classified as ‘dormant’.

Malaysiakini has been trying to contact Azmi for his response on this matter but has so far not been able to reach him.

Azmi was deputy home minister (1999), rural development minister (1999-2004), home minister (2004-06) and natural resources and environment minister (2006-08) as well as Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson until 2013.

Lee further asked: “What is the value of the contract as well as the method of payment and who will pay for the services provided by Bestinet Sdn. Bhd?”

The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday that Azmi has denied any “hanky-panky” in the awarding of the contract to Bestinet and insisted the deal was done transparently.

However, Azmi  refused to comment further on the issue and said that he would explain in detail on a later date.