Malay contractors' association 'so happy' to hear Baru Bian's pledge on open tenders, say it will end crony or backdoor deals.
Contractors’ leader Mokhtar Samad says his members welcome pledge on open tender system. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The Malay contractors’ association, representing nearly 44,000 members, says it is “so happy” to hear a pledge by new Works Minister Baru Bian to use open tenders extensively, saying it would end crony and back-door deals.
Speaking to FMT, Mokhtar Samad, president of the Malaysian Malay Contractors Association, said its members welcomed the new government’s commitment.
“We support open tenders. It is better because then you won’t have crony or backdoor deals as you would have when projects are given through selected tenders or direct negotiations.”
He said that in the past, 10 crony companies would take part in selected tenders, working in cahoots with one another. Or some contracts would be awarded by direct negotiation, and jobs given directly to cronies “with all sorts of reasons being given” to justify the awards.
Mokhtar said open tenders would not pose a problem for Bumiputera contractors as the present government had given assurances of keeping the quota for Bumiputera-only projects.
“So, even within projects which are open only to Bumiputeras, we will have open tenders among the Bumiputera contractors. Whoever can fulfil the requirements will get the job. That is fair.
“And even for those projects which are open to all, we have Bumiputera companies which can compete.”
Earlier Baru told senior officers of the Public Works Department that the federal government would use open tenders extensively and with transparency for government projects, especially large-scale ones, to end wastage of public funds.
He said the government spent about RM100 billion a year on procurement through various projects and contracts. -FMT
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