Lately, questions have been raised over how private firms entrusted with collecting public funds handle government money.
The concerns warrant a closer examination of the safeguards governing contractor arrangements, particularly when large sums are outside direct government control. Two recent cases —involving Zetrix AI Bhd and Dapat Vista Sdn Bhd —highlight starkly different concerns — ranging from delayed remittance of collected funds to placing public money into commercial interest-bearing accounts.
Zetrix AI, acting on behalf of the Road Transport Department, collected RM314 million in various fees but failed to remit the funds.
Meanwhile, Dapat Vista, the operator of court bail payment system e-Jamin, collected RM193.71 million in deposits as at 2024 without a formal contract with the government.
