PUTRAJAYA (Oct 5): Jelutong member of parliament RSN Rayer wants the identities of those behind the companies involved in the eJamin bail collection system to be disclosed in the Dewan Rakyat 

He told the house on Monday that these individuals must be “influential” since they were entrusted with collecting bail payments for five years without a contract.

“I would like to ask whether this can be disclosed in this august house? We all want to know who are the individuals who are so influential behind these companies who can casually arrange for the company to be given the mandate?” Rayer asked during the debate on the Public Accounts Committee report on the eJamin system.

The query was not addressed by PAC member Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan when he wound up the debate.

The online bail payment system, eJamin, has been operated by Pertama Digital Bhd (KL:PERTAMA), a textile-turned-digital services company, for five years without a formal contract.

Bail funds were deposited into a commercial bank account held by Dapat Vista Sdn Bhd instead of the federal government’s consolidated trust account, contravening the Federal Constitution and the Financial Procedure Act 1957, the PAC said.

Dapat Vista invested the funds, including in sukuk, to earn interest.

The bail deposit balance stood at RM193.71 million as at end-2024, according to the PAC report, of which RM130.8 million was invested by Dapat Vista.

Dapat Vista is 80% owned by Television Airtime Services Sdn Bhd, a 51%-owned subsidiary of Pertama Digital. The remaining 20% is held by the technology outfit HeiTech Padu Bhd (KL:HTPADU).

Pertama Digital has been loss-making since the financial year ended Dec 31, 2021 (FY2021). For its latest six months ended June 30, 2026 (1HFY2026), it logged a net loss of RM797,000 on revenue of RM3.84 million.

The company triggered the financially troubled Practice Note 17 (PN17) status in July this year, after its shareholders' equity fell below Bursa Malaysia's listing threshold.

It has been classified as an affected listed issuer since August 2022, following the sale of its textile business, Be Top Group Ltd, for RM70 million, as part of a shift to digital services.

Rayer highlighted the financial risk the government would bear if the company running eJamin failed to discharge bail to a guarantor after a case had concluded.

“If the [bail money] cannot be returned by the company — it suddenly goes bankrupt, or any reason why the company cannot return the money — who will be sued? The government will have to bear it,” he claimed.

The PAC, in its report, said the absence of a formal agreement and trustee structure exposes the government to risks if the company faces a financial crisis or liquidation. Other lawmakers, including Kota Bharu MP Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan and Pendang MP Datuk Awang Hashim raised similar concerns during the debate.

Syahredzan said he is unable to answer what guarantees are in place to ensure guarantors can get back their deposits.

“The government should be the one to answer that,” he said, calling on lawmakers to query the government in Dewan Rakyat.

Syahredzan also called on the government to provide an update on the status of negotiations with Dapat Vista.

He also urged the government to define what are public funds in the context of bail guarantees, stressing the need for strong legal safeguards and compliance with the Federal Constitution.

“It is ironic that the judicial system — they of all parties — should understand the need for strong legal safeguards.

“Unfortunately, after five years of operations and millions of ringgit flowing in, there is still no protection for the government and the bail guarantor,” he said.

Deputy Speaker Datuk Seri Dr Ramli Mohd Nor, who presided over the sitting, advised MPs to leave the task of looking for wrongdoing to the authorities.

Ramli, a former senior police officer, noted that any misuse of or profit from public funds was criminal breach of trust.

Read also:
Pertama Digital ran eJamin for five years without formal contract, invested bail funds without approval — PAC
Pertama Digital triggers PN17 as equity drops below threshold