Jeck Seng cries foul over reports lodged on BN-era VEP contract

TG PIAI POLLS | MCA's Wee Jeck Seng has condemned police reports lodged against him over a Public Accounts Committee investigation into the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) system that he is linked to.

At least one report was lodged yesterday in the Pontian police district - which falls under the Tanjung Piai parliamentary constituency - which Wee is contesting in the Nov 16 by-election.

The report sighted by Malaysiakini was filed by a person who heads the Parit Haji Ismail polling district in Tanjung Piai. No party was stated but it is believed the report was lodged by Bersatu.

The police report refers to a PAC investigation on the VEP, and calls on the police and the MACC to investigate Wee's links to the project.

VEP is a permit issued by the Road Transport Department that allows foreign vehicles to enter the country.

The PAC commenced its investigation into the VEP in January this year, after the auditor-general's report stated the contract was granted to an allegedly inexperienced company via direct tender.

The contract was awarded in 2015 by then transport minister and MCA president Liow Tiong Lai to a company named TCsens, in whcih Wee was a major shareholder at that time.

According to the 2017 national audit report, the project involved two contracts, namely a capital expenditure contract (Capex) and operational expenditure contract (Opex) worth RM45.15 million and RM104.3 million, respectively.

The company had allegedly subcontracted Opex to a third party, despite not being allowed to do so.

The audit report also stated that equipment worth RM4.07 million was not installed.

The PAC had already grilled Liow (photo, above) in March.

In a statement last night, Wee said the police reports were politically motivated to coincide with the by-election.

"Many of the allegations currently being spread are also incorrect and these are already answered in the 2017 Auditor-General's Report.

"For example, the claim that the winning company only had RM35 in the bank account is wrong as the AG Report said the company had proven it had more than RM3 million of funding, which surpasses the minimum required amount.

"The claims that the operating expenses have been hugely inflated are also wrong as this was due to a significant increase in scope, including a more than doubling of capacity in several requirements," Wee said, adding that these were all in the audit report.

He added that he is now no longer a shareholder of the company.

Companies Commission data showed that Wee had relinquished all his shares on July 4 last year.

"I have never been involved in any abuse of power or the misappropriation of public funds and I am confident that the PAC and the police will eventually clear my name," he said.

Wee is facing against Bersatu’s Karmaine Sardini, Gerakan's Wendy Subramaniam, and three others for the Tanjung Piai seat.

The other contenders are Berjasa president Badhrulhisham Abdul Aziz and independents Ang Chuan Lock and Faridah Aryani Abd Ghaffar.

Polling day is on Nov 16.