Allegations of corruption surrounding the development of the Male' Taxi app have now been formally submitted to parliament.
A mobile application to seek the services of the government's Male' Taxi Line was launched alongside the service last Thursday night. However, with several issues identified on the app, it was later taken down, with the service now being provided through the 1655 hotline.
Social media users have raised several concerns about the Male' Taxi app. One overarching complaint is that the contracted developer, Fixed Maldives, does not have any prior experience in app development. There are allegations that the app development transaction involves corruption amounting to a loss of MVR 13 million.
North Galolhu MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu), from opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), submitted a motion on the issue to parliament. In the motion, he appealed to the parliament to probe the allegations of corruption involving the taxi app.
MP Ibrahim included several questions surrounding the issue in the motion, asking the parliament to seek detailed answers on those.
The issues seeking clarification in the motion are:
- Reasons why invitational bidding was opted for, along with a list of which companies were invited, as well as the criteria through which the companies were selected for invitation.
- The standards and requirements prioritized in selecting companies to invite for bidding.
- Whether the selected company has prior experience in a similar work, and for copies of any supporting documents submitted by the company to be shared with the parliament.
- Whether any member of MTCC's IT department was involved in the work, and details of any individuals involved.
- Whether the conditions set by the company's board on the matter were fulfilled, and if so, to submit details to parliament.
- The company's procurement policy mandates that a Tender Evaluation Committee with an odd number of members must be formed to evaluate tender proposals. The MP states that he has learned the committee to evaluate the app development did not follow this policy, and asks to clarify who within the company authorized it.
- While the MVR 13 million tender is a technical tender, if the main tender committee lacks experience on the matter, then a sub-committee is generally formed for evaluation. Then main committee then reaches a decision based on the advice of the sub-committee. The MP calls for documents to be submitted which prove this process was followed.
- As inquiries for procurement are only sent to those on the company's supplier registry, he asks the parliament to clarify the date on which the list of suppliers who were invited and company's supplier list was merged.
- To share evidence that the company which was awarded the tender holds the required experience as per the tender's scope.
- Whether it was the company's board or management which decided to develop a separate new app, and to share the minutes of the meeting where this decision was made.
Ibrahim also noted that spending millions on an app -something that can now be developed with readily available technological support - is deeply troubling when done by a state-owned company such as MTCC.
Despite strong criticism on the issue on social media, MTCC is yet to formally respond to the allegations.
