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.
