Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today that Synerflux was only shortlisted as the company to handle the online management of 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers.

He said this when asked why Synerflux was chosen and pointed out that the deal was not finalised yet.

“No, we haven’t decided yet. No such formal letter has been issued.

“(It has been) shortlisted, (but) not appointed yet,” Zahid, who is also home minister, told a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur today.

Asked whether Synerflux was the only company considered, he said: “We have requested for proposals, so many companies were interested in participating.”

Zahid said it depended on the Bangladeshi government for the deal to be finalised.

“It depends on the other side, if they are ready, we are willing to finalise the agreement,” he said.

In a written parliamentary reply yesterday, Zahid said the Home Ministry identified Synerflux for further discussions on implementing the system.

Previously, Zahid’s brother, Abdul Hakim Hamidi's company Real Time Networking Sdn Bhd was reported to have bid for the system geared towards the 1.5 million Bangladeshi workers Malaysia plans to take in through a business-to-business (B2B) arrangement.

Abdul Hakim, however, denied it was a government contract or that nepotism was involved.