No charges yet in 1BestariNet case as MACC continues RM4b project probe, says deputy education minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 11 — No charges have been filed in court against the operators of the 1BestariNet project as the investigation remains ongoing, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh informed the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said his ministry and the Cabinet are in discussions on how to address issues related to the project and will submit their recommendations in a forthcoming memorandum.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) continues to investigate the company operating 1BestariNet.

“There are no civil lawsuits filed in court by the government so far. The ministry will leave it to the MACC to fully investigate this matter and is ready to give our full cooperation,” he said.

MACC launched an investigation into payment claims related to the Ministry of Education’s 1BestariNet service tender, valued at RM4 billion, which was awarded to YTL Communications Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of YTL Corporation, in 2011.

The 1BestariNet project, awarded in 2011, aimed to establish high-speed internet access and an integrated Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in schools nationwide.

The RM4 billion project has faced scrutiny over its implementation and service quality, with critics highlighting connectivity issues in schools, particularly in rural areas.

In 2019, the Education Ministry confirmed that it had discontinued the project, yet lingering questions about project deliverables and expenditure have persisted, leading to the ongoing MACC probe.

The MACC raided the company’s office in September.