Spanco Sdn Bhd chairman Tan Sri Robert Tan Hua Choon was charged in the Sessions Court today with cheating the Ministry of Finance to award his company a contract worth RM3.9 billion to manage the government's vehicle fleet.
Tan, 83, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before Judge Suzana Hussin.
"I understand (the charge), I am not guilty," he said.
Tan is accused of deceiving the Ministry of Finance by misleading the Tender Opening Committee for the tender titled 'Request for Proposal for Supply, Repair, Maintenance and Management of Government of Malaysia Vehicle Fleet', Public Private Partnership Unit under the ministry.
It was related to at least 30 per cent Bumiputera shareholding in Spanco through a document titled 'Appendix IV (Annex i) Bidder's Profile', and thereby Tan was allegedly dishonestly influenced the Ministry of Finance to award the 'Supply, Repair, Maintenance and Management of Government of Malaysia Vehicle Fleet' worth RM3,966,386,628 to Spanco, which the ministry would not have done had it not been misled.
The offence was allegedly committed at Tender Room, Public Private Partnership Unit, Ministry of Finance, Precinct 2, Persiaran Perdana, Putrajaya between Feb 27 and 28, 2019.
The charge, under Section 420 of the Penal Code, provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years, with whipping, and a fine, upon conviction.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Public Prosecutor Mahadi Jumaat suggested bail of RM2 million in one surety, with condition that he surrendered his passport, reported himself to the MACC office every month and did not interfere with witnesses directly or through third parties.
Tan's lawyer Datuk Wan Azmir Wan Majid did not oppose the bail sum.
"Please allow my client to report to the MACC office once every three months because he suffers from various illnesses including high blood pressure, knee and back pain. My client is also not a flight risk," he said.
Suzana allowed Tan bail of RM2 million in one surety on condition that he did not interfere with witnesses and reported himself to the MACC office once every two months.
The court set June 4 for mention of the case.
-- BERNAMA
UPDATE
MALAY MAIL
Spanco Sdn Bhd chairman (executive director) Tan Sri Robert Tan Hua Choon this morning was charged with cheating the government to award his company a contract worth over RM3 (RM3.9) billion by convincing the Finance Ministry that Spanco has at least 30 per cent Bumiputera shareholding.
Tan, 83, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read before Judge Suzana Hussin at the Sessions Court here.
The offence was allegedly committed between February 27, 2019, and February 29, 2019, at the Finance Ministry’s office in Putrajaya.
Tan was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides for up to 10 years in prison, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.
Bail was set at RM2 million by Judge Suzana after the accused's lawyer Datuk Wan Azmir Wan Majid, did not contest the amount suggested by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, taking into account the seriousness of the crime and the value of the alleged offence in question.
The contract to handle the procurement and management of the government’s vehicles was given after he allegedly dishonestly influenced the the Ministry of Finance regarding the tender tender entitled "Request for proposal, supply, repair, maintenance and management of government of Malaysia vehicle fleet."
In February, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Tan Sri Azam Baki said the crux of the investigation is on the supply and management of the fleet of vehicles contract awarded to Berjaya Group and Naza Corporation Holdings Sdn Bhd in 2019, only to be terminated and then given back to Spanco during the previous government's administration.
According to New Straits Times, Spanco has been handling the government’s fleet for 25 years since 1993.
The court also ordered that the court would withhold the tycoon's international and diplomatic passports until the trial ends and ordered that they not attempt to discuss the trial with any of the prosecution's witness.
The 83 year old man is Spanco's executive director and is still active in its operations, said lawyer Razlan Hadri Zulkifli who held a watching brief for Spanco.
The tycoon was also ordered to report at the nearest MACC office once every two months.
According to The Edge, Tan currently owns 24.65 per cent of shares in Spanco, the most shares held by a natural person, followed by Datuk Seri Tan Han Chuan with 14.67 per cent, Datin Tan Ching Ching at 9.68 per cent and Minhat Mion with 5 per cent.
Spanco's biggest shareholder is Jati Rata Sdn Bhd holding 46 per cent of the shares.
MACC raided the tycoon's home in January for its investigation.
Although Datuk Wan Azmir Wan Majid represented the accused today, Tan's main counsel is Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik. -
