Areca capital...holding 3.48% and 1.47%...could be holding proxy for someone?...

Today’s latest. Read full text from the edge daily. Especially the appendix .

KUALA LUMPUR (July 9): The following is a press release by YTL Communications Sdn Bhd, reproduced in full.

Setting the Record Straight

YTL Communications is extremely disappointed that the press statement issued by the Ministry of Education on 5 July 2019 and statements made at the press conference on the same day have made us appear to have taken advantage of the Government.

As a business, we have always sought to resolve matters amicably. Nevertheless, we cannot allow our reputation to be sullied by unfounded claims. Hence, we have to set the record straight.

As a corporate citizen of this country that won an open tender for a major project, we are entitled to rely on fair business dealings.

At the time of the award of the project, broadband infrastructure was in its infancy in the country. To address this, the National Broadband Initiative was launched with the aim of increasing broadband penetration across the population. Bidders were therefore required to invest in building telecommunication towers or lay fibre to rural areas as more than 70% of schools in this country were rural and remote schools. The project was recognised by the Ministry as a means of providing broadband services to the schools as well as to the communities around the schools.

The contract entered into between the Ministry and YTL Communications acknowledged the 15 year term of the project but provided that the project would be implemented in rolling phases. The process by which each phase was to be awarded was clearly set out in the project documents; there would be a joint review on performance, changes in technology, basic educational needs and price prior to the expiry of each phase and before parties reach agreement on the next phase.

Notwithstanding the right to a joint review, YTL Communications did not object to the Ministry’s announcement that it would call a fresh tender at the beginning of 2019. Price transparency was clearly important to the new Government and YTL Communications was fully supportive of this.

BUT after the announcement, we waited 9 months for the tender to be called and it was only at a meeting on 23 April that we were informed that the Ministry was not ready for the tender.

It was at the Ministry’s request that we offered in good faith to provide internet services and the Frog Virtual Learning Environment (Frog VLE) to the Ministry during the interim period of 6 months from 1 July to 31 December (interim period) free of charge. Our offer, contained in our letter of 31 May to the Minister of Education, (disclosed in our press statement of 3 July), was clear, simple and unconditional. We reiterate strongly that we did not ask for any special preference for providing this free service which was requested by the Ministry in the first place.

But on 27 June, without even responding to our letter offering free services for the six months period, the Ministry announced the award of the internet services for the interim period to Telekom Malaysia, Celcom Axiata and Maxis.

As no joint review was undertaken as required under the contract and no open tender called, we regard this as a breach of our contract.

At the press conference, the Ministry gave reasons to justify the rejection of our offer. We address each of these in the Appendix* to this statement.

The justifications proffered are baseless and clearly an afterthought and do not obviate the fact that the Ministry failed to comply with its obligations under the contract. No joint review was carried out as required. If a review had been undertaken, it would have identified the areas of improvement for the next phase. Pricing could also have been set against current market prices and there would be clarity as to implementation.

The alternative of an open tender announced by the Ministry for the period from 1 July also did not materialise. An open tender would have established the most competitive prices against a defined specification and would have left little room for speculation. Instead, we are left wondering about a process that was flawed from the outset.

If the Ministry had accepted our offer for the free services during the interim period, the Ministry would have saved millions, prevented disruption to the schools in the middle of the school year, as well as had the time to conduct a tender exercise following which they would have a properly defined solution and price.

As a company that has worked with the Ministry over the past 7 years implementing a world class nationwide learning solution that the country should be proud of, we cannot help but be disappointed. We, however, remain committed to playing our part in improving education in the country.

Issued 9 July 2019

* Appendix Attached


Ministry of Education’s Reasons for not Accepting Offer from YTL Communications for Free Services during 6 months interim period YTL Communications’ Response
1
Kos tersembunyi (hidden cost)
Bermula Kontrak Perkhidmatan 1Bestarinet Fasa 2 sehingg

YTL everyday buat bising. Just now another story come out. Contract habis kasi orang lain chance la. Or are they trying to buy up the shares ...??

Maybe all to be approved in AGM on 5 August.

DPM & Mazlee Malik will touch down in China 3pm today for a 4 day visit.Visit to Huawei is part of schedule.

No more blackboards. Schools should change to SHARP smart boards. Thats the way to go in digital education.

Atarah ,, Mirufiki. You guys are welcome

Open attachment in announcement dated 31 May. It’s a 70 page document.

According to the announcement, the multiple exercise proposals is expected to be completed by 30 September 2019. That means you all will get your free warrants after Merdeka?

MOE reply give hope to alternative technologies that might be better for schools, teachers and students...

The results of the 100 schools is important

PUTRAJAYA (July 5): The Ministry of Education rejected YTL Communications Sdn Bhd’s offer for free internet service to schools nationwide for an interim six month period prior to the call of an open tender next year, mainly due to hidden costs of more than RM40 million.

In a media briefing today, Education Ministry Secretary General Datuk Mohd Gazali Abas said the ministry had acknowledged receipt of a letter dated May 31 from the YTL Communications, a 60%-owned unit of YTL Power International Bhd, offering free internet services for a period of six months starting July.

However, after due consideration of several factors, it decided not to award the tender to YTL.

Sponsored Content

Instead on June 27, the Ministry issued a statement saying it had awarded the six-month contract to Telekom Malaysia, Celcom Axiata and Maxis.

Amongst other reasons, the main reason why it did not select YTL was that the company had stated terms and conditions in their offer, including the request of free electricity and rental of their telecommunications tower, Mohd Ghazali said.

“The Ministry found that it would incur a potential loss of rental revenue totalling RM32.58 million from the telecommunications tower in the six months. These are hidden costs and would not be a free service for the Ministry,” he said.

At the start of the project, Mohd Ghazali said YTL Communications had never paid electricity charges for the telecommunication tower that it installed at the schools and government premises.

“Estimates of these costs involving 2,715 sites total up to more than RM40 million, and are paid for by the Government,” Mohd Ghazali said.

He said YTL should pay for these charges, as it is also using the telecommunication tower for other commercial uses. The Ministry will consider renting the land for use of setting up the telecommunication tower at a commercial rate in the future.

Furthermore, Mohd Ghazali said the Ministry did not want to repeat the weaknesses of repetitive long-term contracts, so as to ensure it gives them the opportunity to try new alternative technologies that might be better for the schools, teachers and students. This would also help the Government save, he added.

“We also found that the quality of access to internet provided was not satisfactory and could not provide the best service to the Government.” Mohd Ghazali said.

He said the internet speed for the first phase (Dec 2011 to June 2016) was at 4mbps, and that the speed for the second phase (July 2016 to June 2019) was not significantly different.

Mohd Ghazali said the Ministry will begin calling for the fresh open tender of internet services to schools in the next few months of which YTL Communications is invited to join. It is slated for implementation beginning January, 2020 for a three-year period.

With regards to an article issued by “Friends of Maszlee Malik” which gave seven reasons why the 1BestariNet project should be terminated, Mohd Ghazali said it is not officially associated with the Ministry nor the Minister.

Background

The 1BestariNet project was awarded to YTL Communications in 2011, after an open tender for a 15-year service contract which is to be implemented and reviewed in phases.

In July last year, the Ministry announced it would be calling for a fresh open tender in early 2019, for the continued provision of internet connectivity to 10,000 schools nationwide. However, it postponed the open tender, citing lack of budget.

YTL's phase 2 contract was set to expire on July 1. As the open tender had been postponed, the Ministry has a six month interim period without a provider. As such, they called for a meeting with Telekom Malaysia, Celcom Axiata, Maxis and YTL Communications in April, requesting for free service for the six-month period.

The Ministry said it had received responses from these companies, including from YTL Communications.

Most teachers already say Frog VLE is user UNFRIENDLY and 1Bestarinet was recommended to be terminated by the PAC in 2016. Time to change and follow the recommendation strictly.

Expect the next few days/weeks, this issue will be hotly debated. Awaitimg Mazlee reply ...

After YTL Communications was contracted in 2012 to run the VLE project and provide internet services, the company also developed the Frog VLE system, which the company argued had been extensively integrated into the teaching systems of participating schools.


Now that MOE was jettisoning Frog VLE in favour of Google Classrooms, it would cause disruptions because years of teaching content has been built on the current system, the company said

"Having successfully completed Phases 1 and 2, Phase 3 would have seen the full adoption of digital teaching and learning in classrooms by January 2020.

"Changing the platform and starting all over again will set the entire education system backwards by years," warned the company.

Despite the MOE's new policy, YTL Communications said Frog VLE would still be available to teachers to prevent disruptions.

Maybe the new consortium to replace 1 Bestarinet will be Telekom, Celcom,Maxis, Sharp-Edu.

This article came out 45mins ago. Big tussle coming? Unless MOE quickly award the project to Sharp-Edu for phase 1& 2.

KUALA LUMPUR: YTL Communications Sdn Bhd has alleged that the Education Ministry has hired three internet service providers for schools when the company offered to do so for free.

In a statement Wednesday, YTL Communications said that the Education Ministry ministry had requested for free internet services for 10,000 schools operating the Frog Vvirtual Learning Environment (Frog VLE) pending a tender.

“The ministry requested that we provide free internet services as the Government ‘did not have the budget’ to pay for these services,” YTL Communications said.

YTL Communication said this was communicated during a meeting on April 23 between the ministry together with Telekom Malaysia, Celcom Axiata, Maxis and a few other internet service providers (ISPs) over Phase 3 of the 1BestariNet project. The meeting was informed that there would be a delay of another six months during which the 10,000 participating schools would continue to require interim internet services.

The group said it wrote to Eduction Minister Maszlee Malik on May 31, 2019 confirming that YTL Communications will provide a complete solution of free internet services as well as the Frog VLE for the interim period until the tender was called and awarded.

YTL has been providing the services since 2011, with their contract expired on July 1.

“Therefore, when the ministry announced on June 27, that it had awarded the interim services to Telekom Malaysia, Celcom Axiata and Maxis, it came as a complete surprise.


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2019/07/03/ytl-communications-claims-education-ministry-went-back-on-tender-offer/#rvbB1j1YrYCtjI3x.99

This news good for Edu?

PETALING JAYA: Teachers and parents are glad that the troublesome Frog virtual learning environment (VLE) and 1BestariNet will no longer be used in schools.

Teacher M. Punitha described the Frog VLE as very “user-unfriendly”.


The secondary school teacher from Melaka said she was excited to hear that Google Classroom would take over.

On Thursday, the Education Ministry announced that the contract with 1BestariNet to provide Internet access to schools nationwide would end tomorrow.



“Google Classroom is not only free but easy to learn. We don’t need to attend courses and teachers are not being forced to use it,”


Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/06/29/google-classroom-gets-nod/#2rWcIsfPlA3CoEgB.99

Dont get too excited yet. Service provider and Content provider are 2 different things.

Crazy thought. Two Horses Capital works with Kencana Capital to inject the education biz into Edu? They shd forget abt the theme park. Child's play.

Maybe set up new branch there

Negeri Sembilan? P.D.? Any link?

Who is the buyer of Paramount education business? Cant be edu coz they hv no money...

Education business cannot make money.

Paramount to sell education biz for RM540.5m, pay RM177m special dividend

Maybe offspring and rio2814 hv answers

A theme park at rm38m investment is anything but big. Otherwise, why are they letting you to buy at 3.5s even after the announcement? Food for thought....

Only 38m is for theme park. Rest is for reducing bank borrowings and working capital.

Btw the edupark is too kacang putih. Probably the size of petrosains. Unless something bigger than this happens..

What do u think Sharul

This is his only plc left, after Opcom and Yinson. So will he give it up too?

50:50. But likely sell n leave

Maybe mm will leave the co or buy up and control the co and inject own assets .

There will be dilution of shareholding resulting from RCPS conversion. Dont think MM will be happy with that.

Mokhzani quits Opcom to concentrate on Eduspec??

EduPark in Port Dickson.

Looks like the govt is very serious in using new technology for education in Mallaysia. EDUcate! EDUCate! EDucate!

Read todays Star. Malaysia will use Australia online English program . More online education coming soon? Super great potential for Eduspec.

Maybe Koon YY should donate to set up one. Don’t forget, UTAR was set up by MCA under BN time.

Is PH setting up a university to compete with UTAR?

Note SHARP has the Foxconn Education Software program.

RATIONALE
The MOU is expected to enable the STEM business model of EHB Group to better integrate and complement with SHARP’s products and its initiative to streamline its companies business venture into the education sector by jointly collaborate with EHB Group to provide and promote Smart Education Solutions in Malaysia and the Region.

As at the date of this announcement, SHARP has an issued share capital of RM54,000,000.00 divided into 54,000,000 ordinary shares issued as fully paid shares.
The Directors of SHARP as at the date of this announcement are as follows :
1) Wu Po-Hsuan
2) Ting Yang Chung
3) Masashi Murano
The shareholders of SHARP and their respective shareholdings in SHARP as at the date of this announcement are as follows :
SHARP is a company engaged in selling and distribution of consumer electrical products and providing integrated business solutions which includes multi-function (MFP) and production printers, notebook computers, interactive white board and professional display panels, Kiosk, Multiscreen Panel (Video Wall), POS System, B2B air purifier solutions and Foxconn Education Software Program.
Shareholders
Number of Ordinary Shares
Percentage (%)
Sharp Corporation, Japan
54,000,000
100

Eduspec signs MOU with SHARP MALAYSIA.

Yes. Interesting....1 MP from Kampar, (DAP) & 1 MP from Tanjung Malim (PKR)

Seriously to make big bucks$$$, edu must diversify to big time business, like O & G. Remember SApura Kencana was initially listed as a ACE co which was later promoted to Main Market. After the balance sheet excercise, it is definitely an attractive target for takeover.

Latest....boardroom fighting