KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 10): The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) has issued a proposed decision against three companies for alleged bid rigging in six tenders issued by Perbadanan Putrajaya (PPJ) for maintenance works, valued at approximately RM45 million.

The tenders in question that were issued by PPJ, an agency under the Ministry of Federal Territories, include two from 2018, three from 2019, and one from 2021, MyCC said in a statement on Tuesday. 

The companies involved are Abadi Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Kota Lanskap Sdn Bhd and Usia Maintenance Sdn Bhd.

“The investigation has provisionally found that these enterprises had performed acts of bid rigging through agreements and concerted practices by fixing their bidding prices, exchanging bid information and coordinating the preparation and submission of their bids,” MyCC said.

MyCC added that the proposed decision is a provisional finding, and it should not be presumed that these companies have violated Section 4 of the Competition Act 2010 (the Act).

The companies have been given 30 days to submit their written representations and will also have an opportunity to present oral submissions before the commission on a date to be determined.

As a quasi-judicial body, MyCC will issue its final decision after considering the companies’ representations and the evidence gathered during the investigation.

Just last week, MyCC uncovered seven companies involved in bid rigging tenders issued by the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and fined them a total of RM446,092. The companies were hauled up in relation to four tenders worth a total of RM20 million that had been put out in 2017 and 2020.

The commission also said back then that it was investigating 13 bid-rigging cartels involving 561 enterprises in tenders worth RM2.37 billion and assessing complaints involving 463 enterprises in tenders worth RM9.27 billion.

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