View Comments (6)

• Unlikely they would prevail otherwise the 2 earlier tenders would have gone thru. the Govt is playing the waiting game and see if DEFTECH will give a more reasonable price but for how much longer they can wait?
  Whatmore, now that Japan can freely export defence equipment, what's stopping them (ie Isuzu) from bypassing DEFTECH and bidding themselves?

  Reply
  Like the other two tenders, its only open for the local companies with the appropriate field codes/kod bidang. Isuzu or even its local company it owns cannot enter the tender as they would not be able to buy the tender documents without the appropriate field codes

• I see, only local companies again eh?
  Whose to say Isuzu MY won't be able to get the proper registration. The only reason DEFTECH got the job was to rebadge Isuzus since by law then Japanese companies cannot sell equipment for military purpose outside of Japan. Their laws have changed since, and there is less need for DEFTECH anymore, whatmore the PM no longer comes from Pekan so there is even lesser incentive to automatically give the job to them.

  Not just Isuzu, there are plenty other makes with 3tonners. So if DEFTECH wants the job they better wakeup and realise there is competition now and they better stop their parasitic attitudes. If Pekan MP were to fall further from grace, don't expect anymore favouritsm onto them.

  Reply
  If UMW Toyota cannot get the MOF registration for local tenders how do you think Isuzu MY could do it? FYI Isuzu MY is a company made up by Isuzu Corporation together with DRB-HICOM and Mitsubishi Corporation.

• Things have changed. It used to be just the stapled few companies for defence gear but now there are so many new players that sprung up, for good or for worse. They must have gotten the necessary letters in order to even participate in defence tenders so perhaps the barrier of entry have been lowered, maybe.

  Each company would have their reasons to or not to go into the fray, UMW Toyota included, and maybe it is in their business interest not to join or for others, like Volvo Malaysia, a mere 2 heavy duty wrecker trucks is enough to pull them in.

  Either way, the more the merrier and less of the monopoly from the past.

  Reply
  Nolah, if for one truck many OEMs will be glad to join in the fray but the problem is that they cannot. I have explained this in the past, for example, the RMN uses a variety of Shell Rimula branded lubricants. Shell would gladly sell them to the RMN but due to tender regulations even their distributors cannot do. What is the use of many more suppliers if the end users still have to pay with eyes and ears for a product. It is better than buying than a monopolistic company but there is really no important

• @joe

  Looks like OEM that have local registered office, or a JV company but majority owned by OEM is not local enough. I bet if MY Govt want to buy Microsoft Office thru local tender, they have to buy not from Microsoft MY but from Cap Ayam Berhad.

• Nimitz,

  Take into account that there are also certain OEMs which prefer not to deal directly with the end user; preferring to have a local rep to handle all the time consuming bureaucratic hassle laden stuff. Quite often (irrespective of local bureaucracy) they are legally forbidden to sell
  directly because of the fact that they have appointed a local agent or representative.

  I’m all for direct deals instead of having to go via a 3rd party (which mostly offer no value added services) and I have been harping on this for years and years now: along with the need for a complete overhaul of our defence policy to undo years of deeply ingrained flawed practises but we have to take note that for “certain” things; it has to be done via a local entity.

  The 2 Volvo heavy prime movers were bought from Volvo Australia; not Volvo Malaysia. When they arrived both were sent to a Volvo Malaysia facility where some initial training/instruction was done (by people from Volvo Australia) but the deal was via Volvo Malaysia.

  Reply
  The order came through Deftech as it was a VO for the Gempitas

• We have to look at the evidence put forth, if things have not changed; the 2019 tender would have gone thru and ATM would have to pay thru eyes & ears to DEFTECH for those 132 trucks, the same goes for this Feb tender of 132 more trucks, and this coming 150 trucks.

  A change has happened, and deals aren't automatically accepted and shoved down the throats anymore as with the unfulfilled 2019 bid. Maybe its from Mindef, maybe its from ATM, either way the powers that be chose not to go ahead for good reasons.