REQUEST for proposals (RFP) for the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMS) project will be called out soon, said Home Affairs Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

Speaking to reporters in Putrajaya today, Muhyiddin said tender documents are expected to be ready this week and calls for bids will be opened soon after.

As for Prestariang Bhd’s RM3.5 billion national immigration control system (SKIN) project that was axed following a Cabinet decision late last year, he said the project will not be revived.

The termination came into effect on January 19.

Cabinet had decided not to go ahead with the SKIN project that was to run for a concession period of 15 years, finding the cost as exorbitant.

Bloomberg reported last month that Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (KWAP), a shareholder of Prestariang, had been looking to revive the project.

The news outlet quoted sources as saying that the retirement fund had proposed to slash the project cost by 17%.

“I am not aware of that. As far as I am concerned, Cabinet has made a decision to cancel it. I have not received any letters from any parties saying they want to revive the project.

“The reason for that decision is very strong.”

The quantum of charges, said Muhyiddin, was excessive.

“It (The cost) is over anything we have imagined.

“I don’t think it is necessary to even relook it again.”

Prestariang said in a filing with Bursa Malaysia on March 7, that it was unaware of the project’s potential reboot.

On April 15, Prestariang announced that it is taking the government to court after filing a legal claim amounting to RM732 million.

This was after the two parties failed to reach an agreement, despite meeting several times to discuss, among others, payment obligation and the quantum that was to be paid by Putrajaya for cancelling the contract.

“This sum payable is calculated based on the contractual formula provided which had been agreed to by the government,” its board of directors said in a statement.

The project had been awarded to Prestariang Skin Sdn Bhd, a unit of the group’s subsidiary Prestariang Services Sdn Bhd, on July 18, 2017.

It is a special purpose vehicle set up in April 2015, to study, design, develop, customise, supply, install, configure, commission, support and maintain the SKIN system, which was meant to be a replacement for the Malaysian Immigration System. – May 2, 2019