In 2003, MC Saatchi Malaysia Sdn Bhd (MC Saatchi) was incorporated in Malaysia. Since end of 2005 until now, MC Saatchi has been exclusively appointed by Celcom to be its line-advertising agent. It has been handling big promotion campaigns for Celcom. The said promotion campaigns contract with MC Saatchi cost Celcom at least RM20 to RM30 million yearly.
May be one can appreciate that MC Saatchi was exclusively appointed as the line-advertising agent for Celcom for the past 9 years. What is mind boggling is that whilst MC Saatchi is the exclusive line-advertising agent for Celcom, MC Saatchi was also being awarded with huge projects for all Celcom’s major activities.
Recently, MC Saatchi has been awarded with major conceptional revamp revolving around all Celcom branches and Blue Cube worth million of Ringgits.
MC Saatchi is an advertising agency and yet Celcom deemed it fit to award such a contract to MC Saatchi, who will thereafter appoint a routine company to do the designing and building works. Obviously, under such a scheme Celcom will have to pay higher contract sum for the said design and build works and most probably, Celcom will have to pay additional professional fees to MC Saatchi.
Well, may be the officer in Celcom has exclusive knowledge of the hidden talent of the MD of MC Saatchi, Datin Sharifah Menjelara Hussein, which none of us are privy to. In any event, it would be cheaper for Celcom to directly appoint an interior design company instead of going through an advertising company like MC Saatchi.
Was the exclusive appointment of MC Saatchi done by the Procurement Department of Celcom or … ?
The CEO of Celcom, Dato’ Sri Mohammed Shazalli Ramly should investigate into the exclusive appointment of MC Saatchi for all Celcom’s promotional campaigns and also the said design and build works. Since Celcom is part of Axiata, which is a GLC, perhaps Axiata might want to also look into this strange exclusive appointment.
Wee Choo Keong 
Shazalli and Lara client-agency relationship went back a long way …since he was NTV7 CEO
Are you sure that it was just that client relationship and no more? Hmm …..
DBKL should fine the advertising firm alongside celcom for the unsightly stickers of their purplish hued creatures all over KL. Why isn’t any action taken over the pasting all over public space in the city anyway?
YB it is not the procurement department that is responsible for the appointment of MC Saatchi. It is Shazali himself. Please dig some more and I am sure that the shit will soon hit the fan.
This scheme of things are the normal happenings in the GLC like Axiata and Celcom. Why all contracts went to MC Saatchi and other companies are not given the opportunities? The relationship between Shazalli and Lara is more than meets the eyes. Their relationship is an open secret. Now it has come into the open. Axiata must move in to investigate and it will definitely find more nonsense. Where Shazali goes he will bring Lara/MC Saatchi along. Do you believe that it is strictly business?
The show has just started. Too much nonsense in the dirty deal. Any company can do what MC Saatchi Malaysia has done if the other companies are given the same opportunities that have been accorded to MC Saatchi. Axiata cannot keep quiet because it is a GLC and it is funded by the rakyat monies. Lets see what the little napoleons in Khazanah do over this matter. Most probably nothing unless more shit comes out.
The advertising deals with MC Saatchi easily cost RM100m if not more. The BIG question is Why is MC Saatchi has been given preferential treatment? Need I say more.
this relationship has been going on for too long. It has been blown open. A forensic audit will reveal the real truth.
Another company that Celcom or Shazali has to explain is PDI Design.
MC Saatchi biggest account is Celcom. It seems Celcom needs MC Saatchi. What a joke. Why? Why?
Celcom does not need MC Saatchi. Shazalli needs MC Saatchi. What does he need? You will have to ask Lara. She must be good advertising agent.
Khazanah cannot expect Axiata to investigate this matter because MC Saatchi has been brought into Axiata too.
This matter is not so simple. MC Saatchi must be laughing to the bank. Of course, together with … Its more than business relationship.
Note: Sorry for having to edit the name of the person for the moment – just to avoid unnecessary problem at this stage. The name will be revealed at the appropriate time.
Axiata cannot keep quiet
This modus operandi in Celcom has been going on for far too long. Officers placed in the marketing & procurement dept are headed by cronies.
The Board of Celcom and AXIATA must check on the Saatchi’s accounts with celcom and that will tell everything.
This is also a case of the power of woman. I like the title: “Celcom loves MC Saatchi”. I am waiting for more stories.
Axiata is a case of “dua kali lima, lima kali dua”. MC Saatchi got into Axita through the connection of Shazali.
I believe that what have been stated by YB so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Knowing Shazali there are more juicy stuff to come. .
Shazali relationship with Sharifah (Lara) strictly employer and client basis? Even my toes laughed! tell that to the marines.
Wherever Shazali goes, he brings along Lara/MC Saatchi. Just check the record.
Shazalli has help MC Saatchi to go places. Please check and you will discover more. Of course, Celcom is its biggest client. Its account with Celcom easily cost more than RM100m.
The Celcom/MC Saatchi deals have to be more than RM100 mil annually. I am in the advertising industry i do know about this. If you care to dig, the figures should be much higher than that.
I would like to ask a simple question: What has an advertising company got to do with conceptual design and refurbishing of Celcom branches and etc?
This answer will tell the whole story about Celcom/MC Saatchi/Lara.
It would appear that Axiata is still pretending to be ignorance about this matter. Ignorance or they are all the same. This is the problem with GLC.
Axiata must scrutinize all the contracts between Celcom and MC Saatchi. Then all hells will break loose. Trust me.
The Celcom branches have been under going renovations very often. This must be part of the contracts under MC Saatchi. This practice will not stop unless there is a through investigations into all the accounts of MC Saatchi with Celcom.
There is no doubt that MC Saatchi will be getting all the advertising jobs and other projects from Celcom as long as Shazalli is there. All his cronies are in the Marketing Department. A proper audit of the accounting records of the Marketing Department will reveal many things.
‘There is no doubt that MC Saatchi will be getting all the advertising jobs and other projects like in Celcom before’ – ya, but he is now in Telekom. So guess what will happens next? The same “culture” gets exported lah….but to Telekom.
Note: Has to edit a bit to avoid unnecessary problems. Sorry. Thank you
YB the relationship between Lara and Shazali is an open secret in Celcom.
Yes the Little Bird is absolutely right. But why is the Board of Director allowing this to go on and on? Typical GLC. The govt should come down hard on such nonsense. The image of the govt is at stake.
Here we go again……
“Telekom Malaysia (TM) is tipped to be calling for a fresh pitch to search for a lead agency to handle all its other agency partners . A+M understands that the account will cover media, digital and creative elements.
Several sources close to A+M also said that the agency which bags the duties will be the lead agency among the other incumbents. Presentation is expected to happen within these two weeks. A+M has reached out to TM for further comments.
The company recently named its new managing director/group chief executive officer (CEO) on 1 May 2017.”
I wonder where this account will go to in this so-called “pitch”, huh? Heh heh heh. Three guesses lah….
win whill this cycle end. Sigh la