KUALA LUMPUR: TWO public-listed companies, Pos Malaysia Berhad and Datasonic Group Berhad, have joined forces in their bid to secure the concession from the government to manage the impending Fuel Subsidy Rationalisation Programme, it emerged yesterday.
The two companies, a source said, had submitted their proposal via Fuelsubs House Sdn Bhd, a company they formed as the vehicle to manage the programme.
“Pos Malaysia and Datasonic are also using their vehicle (Fuelsubs House) as a project manager and service provider (for the scheme),” the source told the New Straits Times.
Fuelsubs House is among the seven companies which had submitted their proposals to the government to plug the loopholes in the current subsidised fuel distribution system to more than 10 million Malaysians.
Two of the companies are foreign-based entities, one of which is based in Singapore, and another linked to former cabinet minister, Tan Sri Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad.
The other firms are MyEG Services Berhad, IRIS Corporation Berhad, ICASH Global Rewards Sdn Bhd and MOL AccessPortal Sdn Bhd.
Each proposal covers mechanisms on how the government can effectively address abuses and leakages, which has cost the government in the billions of ringgit in losses, and facilitate practical implementation of the distribution of subsidised fuel.
Each company had also proposed to use either the MyKad, Fleet Card, Smart Card, Biometric, cash and coupon as the platforms to address the loopholes in the current system.
Each platform, however, would trigger a different impact on the capital expenditure and upfront payment to be borne by the government, ranging from RM200 million to RM1 billion.
Some companies also proposed that they are given total ownership and control of their system hardware and database, but the government would unlikely consider due the amount of personal data involved, especially when foreign-based companies are involved.
“The national postal company (Pos Malaysia) plans to utilise their logistic strength of more than 700 post offices nationwide to manage subsidised fuel applications from Malaysians.
“Datasonic, meanwhile, will utilise their expertise in smart card (such as secure ID or chip-based credit, debit and bank cards).”
Fuelsubs House had proposed to use the MyKad and Fleet Card as the platforms for the distribution of subsidised fuel.
“The company has also suggested that their mechanisms will not require big funding from the government and can be implemented almost immediately due to the usage of the existing MyKad and Fleet Card.”
The source said the company did not ask to be given total ownership and control over database and confidential personal data for them to manage the scheme.
“They have suggested that the data to remain under government agency, National Subsidy Corporation Bhd.”
On Tuesday, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek had said the government was in the midst of studying the proposals and only the one that benefited the people would be considered by the cabinet. The plan was expected be rolled out in September.