TAN Sri Robert Tan Hua Choon, the chairman of Spanco Sdn Bhd, pleaded not guilty to a charge of cheating and dishonesty linked to the procurement and management of the government’s vehicle fleet.
The 83-year-old tycoon was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code before sessions court judge Suzana Hussin.
Tan pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out before the judge at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court.
He is accused of cheating and inducing the Finance Ministry through the Public-Private Partnership Unit to award Spanco Sdn Bhd a contract to supply, repair and manage the government’s fleet of vehicles.
He allegedly committed the offence between February 27, 2019 and February 29, 2019, at the Finance Ministry’s office in Putrajaya.
Spanco was awarded a contract worth RM4.5 billion to supply and manage the government’s fleet of vehicles for a period of 15 years from 2022 to 2035.
If convicted, the charge under Section 420 of the Penal Code calls for a mandatory one year in jail and fine.
Deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat prosecuted while Tan was represented by counsel Datuk Wan Azmir Wan Majid.
The court set bail at RM2 million with one surety and fixed June 4 for the case mention.
Tan was ordered to surrender his passport until the disposal of the case and is prohibited from contacting witnesses directly or through third parties.
He must also report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission once every two months.
Spanco was established in 1988 and is the largest independent provider of fleet management solutions in Malaysia. – April 3, 2024.
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