For a moment, let us put politics, Datuk Seri Najib Razak's home detention and Anthony Loke Siew Fook's political principles aside.
Let us focus solely on why it is particularly convenient for Anthony Loke to walk away from his position as Transport Minister at this point in time.
By doing so, Malaysia could miss a golden opportunity to establish exactly what happened between ZETRIX and the Road Transport Department (JPJ).
For starters, let us establish the ground rules. Zetrix is no Bestinet Sdn Bhd.
Bestinet's monopoly versus Zetrix's oligopoly
Bestinet operated Malaysia's Foreign Workers Centralised Management System (FWCMS) for six years without a formalised agreement, despite receiving a letter of acceptance in January 2018.
Although the letter of acceptance was issued on Jan 12, 2018, the formal agreement was only signed on Sept 3, 2024. The agreement took retrospective effect from June 1, 2024, and runs until Jan 31, 2031.
Bestinet was effectively operating as a monopoly, providing an exclusive service to the Government.
The system was being developed for integration with other foreign worker management platforms, including the Integrated Foreign Workers Management System (ePPAx) and the Malaysian Immigration System (MyIMMs) mobile application.
As it stands, FWCMS comprises 11 modules, including eQuota, eEmbassy, eRecruitment, the Bio-Medical System (BMS), Online Insurance, eVDR, eEnforcement, dashboards and reporting, alerts and notifications, and eCOM, in addition to the foreign worker permit module.
Eventually, it is also expected to integrate with the National Integrated Immigration System (NIISe), creating a one-stop, fully integrated package.
Zetrix, on the other hand, operated in an oligopolistic market in relation to the JPJ collection contract.
In economics, there is no strict numerical threshold for an oligopoly, but markets with roughly two to 10 major competitors are typically classified as such.
Zetrix was not offering anything particularly distinctive compared with the services provided by the nine other companies operating in the JPJ collection market.
Neither was JPJ paying Zetrix to undertake the service. Like the other nine companies, Zetrix would earn its revenue by collecting a nominal service fee from consumers.
Bestinet's monopoly versus Zetrix's oligopoly
Now, if Anthony Loke were still the Transport Minister, perhaps we would have a better understanding of how the Government managed to cancel or suspend a contract that, apparently, does not exist.
Void ab initio is a Latin legal phrase meaning "void from the beginning" or "void from inception".
When a law, contract, marriage or legal action is declared void ab initio, it is treated in law as though it had never legally existed.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can help explain the key characteristics of the legal concept of void ab initio:
Key features
No legal effect: It creates no rights, duties or obligations. The parties are generally treated as though the legal arrangement had never existed.
Cannot be rectified: An act that is void ab initio is an absolute nullity and cannot subsequently be cured or validated.
Zetrix AI, formerly known as MyEG Services Bhd, saw its three-year extension with JPJ expire in May 2026.
To date, neither the Government nor Zetrix, through an announcement to Bursa Malaysia, has provided a shred of evidence establishing that a further contract extension exists.
The only indication that there might be another contract somewhere within the corridors of power is a statement by JPJ director-general Datuk Edy Fadly Ramli announcing the suspension of Zetrix's role as a JPJ collection agent, effective at 12.01am on Oct 5, 2026.
Hello, the last time I checked, Malaysia operates under the Westminster system of government, not like a night market or, worse still, a fish market.
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary model of government that originated in the United Kingdom's Parliament at the Palace of Westminster.
It is widely adopted across Commonwealth countries, including Malaysia, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Singapore.
Under such a system, the rule of law is paramount. Yet here we are discussing a fresh contract between Zetrix and JPJ following the expiry of the previous agreement in May 2026. Investors have not been briefed, nor have the relevant market regulators been informed, at least based on the absence of any publicly available evidence to the contrary.
C+1 compliance and the questions left behind
Why is void ab initio so important to this discussion?
Well, it is elementary, my dear Watson. Without a bona fide contract, can Zetrix legally be required to comply with JPJ's C+1 system?
Under this arrangement, the collection agent receives payments from consumers and is given a maximum grace period of 24 hours to remit the money to JPJ.
There is also the question of Zetrix's alleged questionable business practices, which reportedly began on May 19, 2026, just three days before its previous contract expired on May 22, 2026.
Why was Zetrix's contract not terminated on May 22, 2026?
These are questions that a new Transport Minister may find difficult to answer. For Anthony Loke Siew Fook, however, they should be a walk in the park.