MaGIC denies quid-pro-quo arrangement with Uber

The Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) today refuted its involvement in any quid-pro-quo arrangement, said Chief Executive Officer Ashran Ghazi.

"Earlier this week, we were surprised to find ourselves named in an article which levelled serious accusations at the way Uber has operated in the region," he said in a statement.

He pointed out that agency regularly collaborated with corporates, connecting them with Malaysia's leading entrepreneurial talent to help build a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Ashran stressed that these strategic partnerships had help inspire and nurture young entrepreneurs at the ideation stage.

An international news agencies reported that the United States Department of Justice is currently investigating Uber to determine whether it broke laws regarding overseas bribery.

READ: Uber stripped of London licence

The report said that as a result, Uber's law firm was investigating the corporate donation worth "tens of thousands of dollars" that Uber made in August 2016 to MaGIC.

The bribery allegation was related to MaGIC's ASEAN Next Great Idea (ANGI) which was co-organised by MaGIC, Uber and another corporate partner that was launched in August 2016.

In the collaboration, MaGIC compiled the content, planned modules and marketed the programme to get ASEAN participants while Uber was responsible for the ideation lab while a third corporate partner provided the start-up strategy.

"Similar to our other collaborations with corporates, ANGI was subject to stringent controls and proper procedures.

"We uphold the highest standards of integrity in all of our programmes and the way in which we conduct our operations,"he added.

-- BERNAMA