CIVIL servants working in cahoots with the syndicate that monopolised government contracts went to extreme lengths to ensure their activities remained protected, including by making false accusations against upright colleagues, said officer who was ensnared in the scheme.

The victim, calling herself “Dr Q” in an online show today, revealed that her rogue colleagues in the government agency preyed on her to ensure that the tender syndicate got its desired projects.

She said that she was the tender official for her department for several government projects, in which the syndicate was also involved.

In one such project for work to be done in Kuala Lumpur, “Dr Q” said she rejected tender documents submitted by the syndicate company as they had provided fake certificates.

“We knew the company was not qualified. They submitted fake certificates, and I had proof that they were fakes.

“I knew one of them and I knew they were not qualified for the project, but they submitted so many certificates.

“We knew that this company was an old hand in getting projects in Putrajaya. So many other ministries had given contracts to this company although they are not qualified.

“So how can I approve them?”

As such, she said, she supported the tender application of another company for the project as they were better qualified.

However, that was when problems began for her in her department.

A department official first accused her of stealing a department computer. She was then transferred out of the department while the project was given to the unqualified company from the syndicate.

She was not consulted on the awarding of the project, she said.

She said she had lodged a police report as well as a report to her department’s integrity unit over the matter but nothing came out of it.

“To close my mouth, I faced so many threats. My case was silenced at the department director’s level,” she said.

She did not name any of her colleagues involved but noted that her department was under a ministry headed by Mahadzir Khalid at the time.

Mahadzir served as the minister of education (2015-2018) and deputy minister of energy, green technology and water (2013-2015) in the Barisan Nasional administration under former prime minister Najib Razak.

“Dr Q” said she was happy to know that the tender syndicate had been caught by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission earlier this month.

Previously, a source told The Malaysian Insight that the syndicate leader was not a public figure, but he and his men were well-known among tender bidders, contractors, procurement departments and the Putrajaya public works department.

Investigators found RM3.5 million stashed in the home of the ringleader following a raid at his Klang Valley residence.

Sources told The Malaysian Insight that luxury vehicles worth RM15.7 million, along with properties including bungalows, shophouses and offices worth RM29 million, were also seized in the raid.

A total of 644 personal accounts as well as company accounts estimated to be worth RM100 million were also frozen.

According to another source, apart from owning several expensive properties and keeping huge amounts of cash, the suspect also owned a yacht and two helicopters.

It was reported that this syndicate has monopolised government projects through tenders or quotations worth more than RM3.8 billion since 2014. – April 14, 2021.