1BestariNet: MACC will decide whether to summon Muhyiddin, Najib

MACC has yet to decide whether they will summon former prime ministers Muhyiddin Yassin and Najib Abdul Razak over the 1BestariNet alleged false claims case.

According to MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki, investigators are still studying the case and will decide whose statements they need to record.

"It depends on our findings. We will call up anyone who was involved," he replied to Malaysiakini in a text message when asked if the graft buster was going to record a statement from Muhyiddin and Najib.

MACC recently launched an investigation into the 1BestariNet project that the Education Ministry awarded YTL Communications Sdn Bhd in 2011 over alleged payments for false claims.

The RM4.47 billion programme, awarded via open tender, was aimed at equipping over 10,000 schools nationwide with broadband services and creating a virtual classroom environment.

Muhyiddin was the education minister at the time under Najib’s administration.

As part of the probe, the MACC raided YTL’s office and a government office, both in Kuala Lumpur, on Wednesday to facilitate investigations.

"As a result of the search, several documents were confiscated, and the MACC is working on identifying witnesses to be summoned for statements and facilitate the investigation.

"The investigation is leaning towards (allegations) of submitted claims documents containing false details involving payments of about RM2.7 billion," a MACC source had said.

Another focus of the investigation is to identify other criminal elements under the MACC Act 2009, the source added.

Plagued with issues

The 1BestariNet project was meant to be completed in 15 years over three phases.

However, the project was plagued with issues ranging from complaints about slow connectivity to financial discrepancies.

Nur Jazlan Mohamed, who was the Public Accounts Committee chairperson in 2015, called the first phase of the project a "failure" citing its poor implementation.

An Auditor-General's Report in 2018 also said the programme fell short of its key performance indices, and the Education Ministry had failed to consider the Value Management Laboratory’s suggestions.

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