‘The company didn’t pay, but I’m asked to resign’: Loke says alleged Umno links irrelevant in MYEG, Zetrix RM314m arrears row

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook announced the suspension of services by MYEG and Zetrix AI Berhad, citing RM314 million in outstanding government revenue as the primary concern rather than any political affiliations.

Loke emphasized the government's approach of treating all companies equitably and focused on ensuring compliance with financial obligations, dismissing the relevance of alleged political connections.

He clarified that the arrears have been accruing since May 2023, and criticized social media calls for his resignation, asserting that responsibility lies with the non-compliant companies.

Services were suspended following the failure to clear a significant portion of the debt.

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 5 — Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook today said any political links involving MYEG and Zetrix AI Berhad were irrelevant to the government’s decision to suspend their services, stressing that his ministry’s concern was the RM314 million in outstanding government revenue.

Responding to a question on whether the companies were linked to Umno, Loke said it was not his role to associate them with any political party and that all companies and agents were treated equally.

“You have to ask them. I mean, I don’t want to associate them with any political party. My role here is to treat every company, every agent the same.

“Whether they are linked to anyone is irrelevant to me. One thing is certain: they have no connection whatsoever to my party. But which party they are linked to is not our consideration.

“Our consideration is the facts: whether there are outstanding arrears that should have been paid to the government, whether their obligations have been fulfilled and whether action needs to be taken,” he told a press conference at the Transport Ministry here.

The Straits Times reported on Friday that Zetrix had “strong ties to prominent political figures”, citing its executive chairman Datuk Norraesah Mohamad, a former Umno supreme council member and senator.

Loke said the government’s action was based solely on the companies’ obligations to remit government revenue collected on behalf of the Road Transport Department (JPJ).

He also hit out at criticism on social media calling for his resignation following the suspension of MYEG and Zetrix services.

“When action is taken, the ‘ceplos-ceplos’ immediately say I should resign. The company that didn’t pay is not being asked to take responsibility, but the minister is the one being asked to face action. What kind of logic is that?” he said, referring to political cybertroopers.

Loke had earlier demanded that MYEG and Zetrix AI Berhad immediately settle RM314 million in outstanding government revenue, saying the money collected does not belong to the companies.

He said the RM314 million in arrears had accumulated since May this year, rejecting reports that the amount had been outstanding for three years.

He said the companies had, on August 21, submitted a cheque dated September 30 for RM231 million to settle the arrears at that time.

However, the bank did not process the cheque when it was presented on September 30, following instructions from the company, he said.

As a result, MOT and JPJ suspended payment services through MYEG and Zetrix AI from today.

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交通部长陆兆福宣布暂停MYEG和Zetrix AI Berhad的服务，他表示，拖欠政府3.14亿令吉的收入是主要原因，而不是任何政治关系。

陆兆福强调政府一贯秉持公平对待所有公司的做法，并着重确保公司履行财务义务，驳斥了所谓政治关系的相关性。

他澄清说，欠款是从 2023 年 5 月开始累积的，并批评了社交媒体上要求他辞职的呼声，坚称责任在于不合规的公司。

由于未能偿还大部分债务，服务被暂停。

布城，10月5日讯——交通部长陆兆福今日表示，MYEG和Zetrix AI Berhad的任何政治关联都与政府暂停其服务的决定无关，并强调交通部关注的是3.14亿令吉的未缴政府税款。

针对有关这些公司是否与巫统有关联的问题，陆兆福表示，将这些公司与任何政党联系起来并非他的职责，所有公司和代理商都受到平等对待。

“你得去问他们。我的意思是，我不想把他们和任何政党联系起来。我的职责是平等对待每一家公司、每一位代理商。”

“他们是否与任何人有关联对我来说无关紧要。有一点可以肯定：他们与我的政党没有任何关系。但他们与哪个政党有关联，这不是我们考虑的重点。”

“我们考虑的是事实：是否存在应向政府支付的未付欠款，他们的义务是否已履行，以及是否需要采取行动，”他在交通部举行的新闻发布会上说。

《海峡时报》周五报道称，Zetrix 与“知名政治人物有着密切联系”，并援引其执行主席拿督诺拉莎·穆罕默德（Datuk Norraesah Mohamad）的话，她曾是巫统最高理事会成员和参议员。

陆兆福表示，政府采取这一行动完全是基于这些公司有义务上缴代表陆路交通局 (JPJ) 收取的政府收入。

在 MYEG 和 Zetrix 服务暂停后，社交媒体上出现了要求他辞职的批评声音，他也对此进行了反击。

“一旦采取行动，那些‘网络水军’就立刻叫嚣我应该辞职。拖欠款项的公司无需承担责任，部长却要为此负责。这是什么逻辑？”他指的是那些政治网络水军。

陆兆福早前曾要求马来西亚投资发展公司（MYEG）和Zetrix AI Berhad立即支付拖欠政府的3.14亿令吉收入，称收取的款项不属于这些公司。

他表示，这3.14亿令吉的欠款是今年5月以来累积的，否认了有关这笔款项已拖欠三年的报道。

他说，这些公司于 8 月 21 日提交了一张日期为 9 月 30 日的 2.31 亿令吉支票，以结清当时的欠款。

他说，但银行在9月30日按照公司指示处理了这张支票，并没有进行处理。

因此，交通部和陆路交通局从今天起暂停通过 MYEG 和 Zetrix AI 提供的支付服务。

在3.14亿令吉欠款风波中，马来西亚社会保险机构Perkeso澄清，Zetrix从未代表其收取社会保障缴款。

“立即支付”：陆兆福要求MYEG和Zetrix AI支付3.14亿令吉欠款

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