It can’t get any funnier when one talks about PADU Corporation (PADU).
Just anything involving finances and unscrupulous officers can happen in this government agency which continues to lead the art of manoeuvring and trickery.
PADU dished out fund wantonly as though the public funds from MCMC that were held in TRUST by PADU belongs to the little napoleons namely, the then “HEBAT” CEO Puan Khadijah Abdullah and En Ahmad Izzat Ahmad Zaki, the CFO of Padu.
After leaving PADU on 31 May 2019 Puan Khadijah Abdullah was specially “head hunted” by Bank Negara Malaysia to head one of its important outfits dealing with “Financial Literacy”. So if one wants to be noticed, appreciated and promoted to a majestic height in Bank Negara Malaysia then one has to emulate Khadijah Abdullah’s style of “financial literacy”/zero governance in PADU.
The “SURAT SETUJU TERIMA” (SST)
On or about 22 June 2017 delivery of scandalous tablet project of PADU for Phase 1 and 2 was not completed as per the “Surat Setuju Terima” (SST), which was signed by the then most “Hebat” CEO of PADU for RM50 million (Phase 1) & RM 52 million (Phase 2). Phase 3’s SST valued at RM49,985,605.00. Please read on you will see the SD resurfacing again.
The PADU’s Cheque Payments To The Special Purpose Vehicle Account
The first 35% payment should be RM17,484,961.75 (35% X 49,985,605 = RM17,494,961.75) under the said SST for Phase 3 but PADU under the leadership of Puan Khadijah Abdullah rounded it up and paid RM17.5 million, which was above the payment schedule as per SST terms dated 22 June 2017. How is that for zero governance!
The second 25% payment should be RM12,496,401.25 ( 25% X RM49,985,605.00 = RM12,496,401.25) and PADU rounded up to RM12.5 million which again above the payments schedule as per the SST dated 22 June 2017.
These two payments of 35% and 25% were made in total violation of the PADU’s very own SST terms.
The Total Fund Received From MCMC
The funds for Phase 3 from MCMC were received in PADU account on 22 June 2017 (the same day PADU/Khadijah Abdullah issued the SST) and 28 June 2017! The fund was wired to PADU in two transactions as can be seen from the table above.
The Balance MCMC Funds in PADU Is About RM50 miliion
To date the total fund received by PADU from MCMC is RM309,879,325.00. PADU only paid out about a total of RM267 million to the special purpose vehicle account. There is a balance of un-utilized MCMC Funds of about RM43 million in PADU’s bank account. PADU must also take into account the total forfeited performance bond from Utusan totaling about RM7 million. Therefore, the total balance in the PADU’s trust account should be RM50 million (RM43 mil + RM7 mil). Of course, the little napoleons cum spin doctors in PADU will try to spin the balance to very much less than the RM50 million – may be cut down by half!
Although MCMC had demanded for the said balance to be returned to MCMC a few months ago but PADU came out with unacceptable excuses to keep the said balance. Of course, MCMC didn’t set in motion for the return of the said balance sum.
The MCMC officers must accept the blame for the wanton disbursement of the MCMC Funds via wire transferred with zero governance. The MCMC Funds should have been paid to MOE and not direct to PADU. However, yours truly had sighted document that shows the then MOE’s KSU objected to direct payment to MOE because of the difficulties of disbursing it from MOE! What a joke!
The first draw down in PADU account was RM30 million (also on the 22 June 2017) and the second draw down of RM20 million to PADU account was on 28 June 2017.
Immediately upon receiving the fund from MCMC on 22 June 2017, PADU couldn’t wait to pay out all the RM30 millions in two cheques as shown above to the special purpose vehicle account, “Utusan-Epiweb Collection Account”. As per the contract between Utusan and PADU, there was no provision for payments to be made to this special purpose vehicle account. Therefore, PADU should have made all payments to Utusan. But payments to the special purpose vehicle account was the modus operandi of Puan Khadijah Abdullah (the then CEO of PADU) and En Ahmad Izzat Ahmad Zaki (CFO of PADU).
Phase 3 Supported By Statutory Declaration By Utusan
Normally the Utusan’s SDs were signed by Datuk Mohd Noordin Abbas, the then CEO of Utusan, HERE. Datuk Mohd Noordin Abbas was a former banker in Affin Bank. Datuk Fatmi Che Salleh was the former executive chairman of Utusan and the former political secretary to the former PM, Datuk Najib Razak. On this occasion the SD was signed by the Utusan GM, En Ahmad Razif Mohamed.
On 22 June 2017 another statutory declaration was produced by Utusan to undertake that it will complete the deliveries of the tablets under Phase 1 and 2. How about that for governance in PADU? PADU had been vendors “friendly” as far as the scandalous tablet deal was concerned. WHY? WHY? WHY?
In order for PADU to issue the SST for Phase 3, a scheme was blatantly hatched by the little napoleons in PADU to circumvent the previous contracts not fulfilled by Utusan and more importantly to facilitate the issuance of SST for Phase 3 so that payment of the first 35% and second payment of another 25% totalling RM30 million could be dished out to the special purpose vehicle account, “Utusan-EPIWEB Collection Account” and thereafter substantial sums were dished out to two special entities Redberry and N… . This subject deserves a separate posting by itself in the coming Parts.
Using SD To Waive Delivery Of Tablets For Phase 1 & 2 – Board of Trustees Papers (an extract of it)
A source in MOE revealed that despite the SST/contractual obligations for the scandalous tablets were not fully completed at that material time and yet En Ahmad Izzat Ahmad Zaki, the CFO of PADU, saw it fit to prepare the above Circular Resolution for the Board of Trustees of PADU to approve and the issuance of SST for Phase 3 based on waiver of the condition precedent for delivery for Phase 1 and 2.
On 22 June 2017 upon PADU signed the SST and acceptance by Utusan all on the same day, and on the 22 June 2017 itself, PADU issued the above two cheques for RM17.5 mil and RM12.5 mill totaling RM30 million. PADU was an extremely efficient paymaster when it comes to paying to the said special purpose vehicle account. WHY??
Why RM 10,402,690.25 Was Paid Out from the Special Purpose Vehicle Account To Redberry Sdn Bhd, an outfit of Dato’ Siew Ka Wei?
Under Phase 6, RM10,402,690.25 was paid out from the said special purpose vehicle account to Redberry Sdn Bhd, which is an outfit of Dato’ Dr Siew Ka Wei, the former chairman of Tourism Malaysia and executive chairman of public listed Ancom Bhd and Group MD of Nylex Bhd. Dato’ Siew is also the MD for Redberry Media Group, the owner of the defunct Malay Mail. Ms Elizabeh Ken is the media specialist in Redberry Media Group.
On 9 January 2019 Dato’ Dr Siew Ka Wei and Ms Elizabeth Ken were arrested and detained by MACC for four days, HERE. Up to this date both of them have not been charged by MACC. There was a new development that on 6 and 7 August 2019, Datuk Isham Ishak, the KSU of MOTAC was called up by MACC to assist in the investigation of the “Speedy Gonzales” Geeko Tech deal of RM99.7 million with Tourism Malaysia, HERE.
Datuk Isham Ishak was appointed MOTAC KSU on 15 February 2019, HERE. Therefore, he was not involved in the Geeko Tech’s scandal because that scandal took place in April 2018.
The “Mesyuarat Pre Council Jawantankuasa Tindakan Laporan Ketua Audit Negara Mengenai Laporan Ketua “Autar” Negara”
A reliable source in MOE has informed yours truly that “Jawantankuasa Siasatan Tadbir Urus Perolehan dan Kewangan Kerajaan” under PMO and Jawantankuasa Siasatan Ketua Audit Negara not Ketua “Autar” Negara are now investigating into this tablet scandal and balance of funds from MCMC.
This morning there will be a meeting known as “Mesyuarat Pre Council Jawantankuasa Tindakan Laporan Ketua Audit Negara Mengenai Laporan Ketua “Autar” Negara to be led by Jabatan Audit Negara with the top brass of MOE to investigate into this tablet scandal.
MOE Should Suspend The CFO of Padu, En Ahmad Izzat Ahmad Zaki and Special Officer to CEO, En Azrul Satria bin Abdul Rahim, Pending Investigations
How could the said two ‘Jawatankuasa Siasatan” have a proper in-dept investigation when the two key little napoleons/players of this tablet scandal namely, En Ahmad Izzat Ahamd Zaki (CFO of PADU) and En Azrul Satria bin Abdul Rahim (the “HEBAT” Special Officer to the CEO, Khadijah Abdullah,) have not been suspended? In any investigation of such nature the key players would have been suspended until the end of the investigations. But not in PADU/MOE!
Board of Trustees Of PADU
Could the above manourvring and trickery be so smooth sailing if the Board of Trustees (BOT), headed by Tan Sri Megat Zaharuddin (chairman), Tan Sri Madinah Mohamad (then KSU of MOE was a member), Datuk Seri Alias Ahamd (who had been accused of being complicit in the Sarawak Solar project for schools), Mr See Huey Beng (member) and others, have performed their fiduciary duties properly by scrutinising the tablet project? The little napoleons in PADU treated BOT as a rubber stamp, the then members of the BOT should also be held responsible for all the wrong doings in PADU which has resulted in a waste of few hundred million of public funds.
We can only hope that the current BOT will carry out its duties as TRUSTEES and not be part of the “GAJI BUTA” category.
It must be noted that in 2016 when Tan Sri Madinah Mohamad chaired the “Pre-Price Negotiation Meeting” for this scandalous tablet project, HERE. The scandalous tablet project kicked off after this meeting. By the way in 2016, she was also a member of the MCMC, HERE. The funding of this tablet project came from MCMC!!!
Why Is The Minister Of Education Playing Dumb On The Scandalous Tablet Issue?
It is most unfortunate that the Minister of Education is still playing dumb on this RM306 million tablet scandal!
MACC & Bank Negara Malaysia
Yours truly calls upon SPRM/MACC to investigate into the wanton disbursement of RM309 million of MCMC Funds into the said special purpose vehicle account and Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia to explain on what basis Puan Khadijah Abdullah was appointed to head or be part of one of its important outfit dealing with “Financial Literacy” for Malaysia. It is hoped that cronyism has no role to play in Bank Negara Malaysia.
Stay Tuned – Part 9
