MAS, Air Asia appeal next March 2015

KUCHING: The decision on Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia Bhd’s appeal to the Competition Appeals Tribunal (CAT) over the breach of market-sharing prohibition in the Competition Act 2010 will be known next year.

The Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) last year fined the two carriers RM10 million each for violating the Act.

MyCC chairman Tan Sri Siti Norma Yaakob said yesterday the case was in the appeal stage and the outcome would only be known in March next year.

She also said the MyCC was investigating 15 out of a total of 47 cases received since the Act came into force on January 1 2012.

“We have received 47 complaints but many had to be set aside as the complaints were incomplete; they (complainants) had refused to come forward when asked... just complaining but with no evidence.”

Siti Norma said she could not give details of the 15 cases as they were under investigation.

The former chief judge of Malaya was speaking at a news conference after the launch of guidelines against bid-rigging in public procurement and the Help Us Detect Bid-Rigging guidebook, here, yesterday by Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Hasan Malek.

Hasan said bid-rigging might increase tender price by 12 to 15 per cent, thereby causing wastage in public procurement.

“We must pool efforts to stem overpriced procurement of goods, services and workers who are sub-standard,” he said.

Hasan said wastage was a loss to society and country and could be avoided if the procurement process was under tight control, which would prevent bid-rigging.

Bernama