CORRUPTION AND KICKBACKS?

Ham on 01 21, 2008

Over the weekend, a top ad agency head spoke to me about the irregularities involved when his agency pitched for a RM10 million account recently. Since the client is a GLC, the pitch fee did not apply. Nevertheless, the manner in which the GLC approached this multinational agency and two other international agencies in the process was most bewildering.Despite the requirement for an open tender process, the GLC contact Timothy (this is a fictitious name) rallied the three agencies to make their presentations with the assurance they already had been earmarked to get the business.

Communication was by email, but after some time this Timothy guy disappeared and repeated calls to the client revealed he was not there.The three agencies had made their presentations and later told y the client they would have to follow the tender process instead. Subsequently eight agencies made a run for the business and three got selected last week.

The question is: Who/Where is Timothy? Probably another middleman/broker who wanted to make a quick killing by being the go between, even though money was not yet discussed in the course of discussion as far as I know.Unfortunately, as I was preparing to prepare a breaking story about all this today, the agency head backed out fearing he would be blacklisted if I named names and exposed the official documents involved. Scam? Con?





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Comments (3)

 

  1. mot says:

    This is big but not an unfamiliar scenario in this business. There’s a lot of corruption in the GLC business regarding the agencies, whether is a big account or just a small part of it. It’s kinda funny when sometime the PIC in the trusted GLC body do such thing. And the con man a so call middle man is every where.

    So i would say watch out and investigate the middle man first whether he’s real or just a con man. They are every where guys…

  2. torrential54 says:

    Welcome to the Wonderful Bolehland where the impossible becomes possible. Where all your dreams can come true, provided you have the right contacts and an innate passion to betray. The name of the game is injustice.
    The currency is cash. Sadly, it is so disheartening to watch, read , hear and experience this dreaded disease hit genuine advertising agencies. Your track record does not and never will count. High-handed Ali Baba policies
    with a locked-in clause of unlimited betrayal is the new 2008 mantra.

    The ongoing saga of the most recent tender awards by Tourism Malaysia is a clear demonstration of what has become of our society. What moral high ground is there left except to watch denial mode being repeated day after day. Are we going to just sit and helplessly watch our hard-earned tax payers money fund “Truly Asia” campaigns in non existent media spots and enrich pockets of so-called “ad practioners” and “elected representatives”.

    A war is going to be waged. The Korean scandal is just the tip of the ice-berg. We will know who and where to vote. No one is invincible. No one is above the law. The ongoing Lingam Video is a clear proof. Every dog has his day. The only trick is to make that day sooner than later. My take is that it is sooner than anticipated.

    In the meantime, are we going to let the corrupt despots stake claim and deny ordinary mortals the right to earn honest living?

    Another day has begun in Bolehland !

  3. lionel says:

    greetings mr singh,

    you actually removed my posting???
    youre the owner sure. but could you please tell me why?!

    i mean all we see here are ’sour grapes’ views. mine was just a different viewpoint mr singh.

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