Hannah breaks silence over DRT controversy

PETALING JAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has broken her silence over Selangor’s Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT) controversy, which involves her husband, after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said it had launched an investigation.

She said she welcomed the probe into Asia Mobility Technologies Sdn Bhd (Asia Mobiliti), where her husband is chief executive officer, which provided a proof of concept (POC) for the DRT project.

“Now that the probe has started, I want to see truth and vindication come out of this investigation. Malaysia deserves nothing less.

“Therefore, it would not be proper for me to comment as it may be construed as an interference with on-going investigations.

“In fact, it was for this reason I had not said anything sooner as in my view the best way forward in dealing with such claims is to leave it to the relevant authorities to investigate them,” she said in a statement on her Facebook page yesterday.

The DRT is a demand-based ride-sharing public transit service to improve last- and first-mile connectivity for public transport services.

It is part of the RM25mil Selangor Mobiliti initiative announced in the state’s 2023 budget to improve the public transport ecosystem.

Asia Mobiliti’s participation in the DRT has caused a public uproar with several quarters demanding that the Selangor government reveal how the firm was awarded the project.

On May 26, MCA Youth secretary-general Saw Yee Fung urged the MACC look into the issue.

The following day, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said there was no wrongdoing as the project was awarded by the state government, not Yeoh’s ministry.

The outcry continued, however, with the Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4 Centre) urging the government to enact procurement reforms.

On the same day, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said any investigation of the matter should be done transparently.

Then on May 31, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shaari said Asia Mobiliti was only given a licence to provide the POC for the DRT project.

A POC is a trial run of sorts whereby evidence is gathered to evaluate and support the efficacy of a proposal before its full implementation.

The same day, Perak MCA lodged a police report over the matter.

Its publicity bureau chief Chung Kok Heung said he believed there was a conflict of interest as Yeoh’s party, DAP, was part of the Selangor government.

Ng Sze Han, who is Selangor executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility, said Asia Mobiliti was not the sole company selected for the new DRT system pilot project as Badan Bas Coach Sdn Bhd was also appointed.