KUALA LUMPUR (April 16): The Ministry of Transport clarified on Tuesday that the higher contract value of RM190.01 million awarded to HeiTech Padu Bhd for Road Transport Department (JPJ) services was only due to a longer extended contract duration.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook explained that the contract that will span over three years will “include maintenance for the MySikap [driver and vehicle information] system, covering both software and hardware components, as well as servers at JPJ offices nationwide," he told reporters after officiating the 2024 roll-out of EVlution charging stations with Mastercard and RHB Bank Bhd.

HeiTech on Monday announced that it had bagged a RM190.01 million contract from JPJ without specifying the details of the job scope, citing it involved “maintenance and technical support services for the JPJ’s information and communications technology infrastructure and MySikap system".

Nevertheless, according to Loke, the scope of work for the current contract mirrors that of previous agreements with the JPJ, even though the contract value has increased due to the longer extended contract duration of three years.

In 2021, HeiTech Padu received a contract valued at RM36.25 million for approximately 13 months, concluding on Sept 30, 2022. This contract experienced extensions in 2022 for four months at RM10.49 million, and again in 2023 for 12 months at RM27.29 million.

This year, HeiTech Padu has secured two additional government contracts: one worth RM58.89 million for next-generation network services for the Inland Revenue Board, announced in January; and a contract extension in March valued at RM13.11 million from the Immigration Department for maintenance of the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs).

The company’s largest shareholder is PKR Perak chief Datuk Farhash Wafa Salvador, who, through Rosetta Partners Sdn Bhd, acquired a 15.91% stake last month. Farhash, a former political aide to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has refuted any involvement in government operations.

Other substantial shareholders include MyEG Services Bhd, holding a 15.89% stake, and Padujade Corp Sdn Bhd with a 14.06% stake.

At Tuesday's noon market break, shares in HeiTech Padu settled three sen or 1.23% lower at RM2.40.