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This obscure news about Big Data Analytics kept appearing those days. Now, there is a new scandal about HRDF fund abuse. RM19.07 million paid to companies linked to Sharala Axryd nst.com.my/education/2017…
Modus operandi is simple. Just have some fancy name resembling something more prominent (like CAD) and hooray, you can con the Klepto gang..
And while you con, you can also get it 100% tax free through application to MDec... #MSCStatus 
I seriously don’t know how much @guanenglim is losing from all the incentives granted by @mymdec to unfit Malaysian companies and consultants...
The story goes like this. In 2013, Najib Razak endorses Multimedia Super Corridor Malaysia Implementation Council Meeting’s decision to develop the National Big Data Analytics framework.
Con sultants spring into action. In 2016, Najib Razak chairs a meeting which decides to set aside RM150 million from HRDF’s Consolidated Fund to support programmes in data science and data professional training.
Months before Najib Razak’s approval, HRDF’s Company, PSMB signs a MOU with MDec and obscure CADS to nurture Big Data Analytics talent pool.
RM150 million of HRDF fund was allocated for this purpose. RM36.9 million spent on training, which trainers are selected by an association called National Big Data Association (NBDA), which selection committee includes Sharala Axryd.
Out of the RM36.9 million spent, a lion’s share, a sum of RM26.08 million goes to Sharala Axryd’s Company called, CADS (Sdn Bhd). Despite getting 70% of the training fees, NBDA’s report on training makes no mention of CADS.
The Edge reports NBDA’s membership appears to be disconnected from the industry it claims to represent. NBDA’s constitution says it is open to scientists, analysts, researchers and economic experts. But the Edge finds that they are merely finance and media professionals.
One member of NBDA had even lodged a Police report that his name was included without his consent. This whole things sounds like a fraud. Hope the authorities get to the bottom of it.
Too many fraud and corruption matters. I doubt @SPRMMalaysia can handle all at once. In such a case, Malaysian Government should be open to accept help from other jurisdictions’ investigative authorities. It has been done before. lw.com/thoughtLeaders…
The Edge reports that in one particular instance, CADS was paid RM5.73 million in 2017 to conduct a 4-day course on Big Data. It came to a whooping RM88,190.40 per pax. This fee is higher than a 4-year degree programme on the same subject in NUS Singapore, which costs only RM52k!
