Telco probes millions in kickbacks - Sun

Dec 23, 2008 by Tim Leonard

PETALING JAYA:

A telecommunications company is conducting an internal probe into "kickbacks" amounting to millions of ringgit received by its staff over the past few years.

The company, with international links, is investigating its staff, including a senior executive, for allegedly accepting kickbacks over procurement contracts.

theSun learnt that the contracts were awarded to local contractors and vendors by the telco’s officials who are believed to have received the money for facilitating the deal over the past two to three years.

It is learnt that the contracts ranged from materials’ supply, maintenance parts and other equipment required by the telco, which had been aggressively expanding its network in the country.

Sources said that the management has recorded statements from one of the executives on three occasions. He was found to have several hundred thousand ringgit in a bank account. It is believed that the amount in his other bank accounts totalled more than a million ringgit.

The executive had also travelled extensively to various parts of the world.

It is learnt that the management, which is interviewing several other employees and witnesses, is expected to report to the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) once its internal probe is completed.

A spokesperson for the telco, when contacted by theSun yesterday, confirmed the investigations and said a report will be lodged with the ACA.

"We are looking at all angles to find out if other staff were also involved.

"This is a serious issue and we will leave no stone unturned in our investigations. Once our own findings are completed, we will pass the information to the authorities," the spokesperson added.

theSun learnt that several representatives of prominent local companies which supplied materials to the telco and had dealt with the staff, are also under investigation.