KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Malay Contractors Association (PKMM) revealed that the awarding of Jana Wibawa projects through direct negotiation and the tender which is selected is an "open secret" known to Malay and Bumiputera contractors.
PKMM president Datuk Seri Mohamed Fadzill Hassan said the association had argued that the projects were given to companies that were friendly with certain parties even though they had no experience and expertise in the job.
"We are not jealous of those who got the Jana Wibawa project, but the awarding of the project needs to be fair in terms of selection based on their ability, experience and professionalism. Not (just) anyone who is good with the prime minister or the minister who awarded the project," he said.
Commenting further, he said PKMM also wanted the Finance Ministry to disclose detailed information about those who had been given projects through the Jana Wibawa scheme.
He said disclosure involving the scheme was important, including how much had been approved, who was involved and what mistakes they had committed.
"We also want to know what project and who can get it and what action should be taken.
"We also want action to be taken not only on the contractor companies involved in Jana Wibawa, but also government officials either in the Finance Ministry, Public Works Department (PWD) and the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID) who are involved in the contractor selection process," said Fadzill.
The Jana Wibawa scheme was introduced by the government under the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin administration to speed up project implementation and to boost the country's economy during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The scheme was also intended to increase the capacity of Bumiputera/Malay contractors in the construction industry to be more competitive, resilient and potential.
Meanwhile, Fadzill said PKMM was prepared to assist the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in its probe of the Jana Wibawa programme.
Fadzill said thus far the association had not been called or contacted by the anti-graft agency regarding its investigation into the scheme.
He also said no association member was involved in the scheme at the moment, but PKMM was nevertheless willing to cooperate and help in the investigation.
"I can confirm that the association is indeed aware of the Jana Wibawa project, and has even raised this issue with former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who expressed his commitment to investigate this matter.
"This Jana Wibawa project is awarded through a direct negotiation tender and a selected tender whereby the project is awarded to a friendly contractor from a certain party," he said.
He was commenting on Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's remarks on Feb 15, where he announced the government's decision to postpone RM5.7 billion worth of rural development projects under the Jana Wibawa scheme.
The move was to review whether they were awarded the projects in accordance with the procurement process and governance requirements set by the Treasury, he said.
Yesterday, Muhyiddin confirmed that he had given his statement to the MACC on the Jana Wibawa project.
The Pagoh member of parliament also said that he was not the suspect in the MACC's probe, but this was denied by a source from the anti-graft agency today.
Former finance minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz also expressed his willingness to give evidence to the MACC if called up.