Bumitech Marketing Sdn Bhd strategic adviser Zakwan Hafiz Ahmad Ansari said the police did this by issuing a statement over the towing of cars parked along the roadside of HKL recently.
“The police should ask questions first before issuing statements to the media,” Zakwan told reporters at a press conference today.
Zakwan was commenting on Saturday’s arrest of a 35-year old man, who is an employee of a third party company employed by Bumitech, for illegally towing cars along the roadside of HKL and allegedly extorting RM150 from car owners to secure the release of their vehicles.
Following the arrest KL Police Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department chief ACP Mohd Nadzri Hussain urged members of the public who had fallen victim to such cases to lodge a police report to assist investigations.
Zakwan claimed that the statement from Nadzri had led to many calls from an irate public demanding Bumitech return the money that had been paid to them previously.
“Everybody should ask questions and clarify before making assumptions and media statements. This has tarnished the name of our company,” Zakwan said.
Explaining the presence of a third-party company managing the traffic and parking at HKL, Zakwan would only say that it did not contravene the terms of the contract Bumitech had been awarded by the health ministry.
“Bumitech was given full authority to tow cars as outlined in the document issued through a tender by the health ministry.
“The tender document stipulated that the compound rates set by HKL was RM150 for towing and RM50 for wheel clamping,” Zakwan said.
He added that the company was only carrying out the responsibility given to collect the compounds as directed and set by HKL and the Health Ministry.
“The company did not do anything that contravenes Section 385 of the Penal Code which deals with putting a person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion.”