Bumiputra firms given 94% of jobs in Penang

GEORGE TOWN: Bumiputra contractors were awarded RM7.81 billion worth of jobs, which is equal to 94% of the contracts given out by the Pakatan Rakyat Penang government since it came into power in 2008.
Of more than 6,000 projects valued at RM8.31 billion awarded over a seven-year period between 2008 and 2014, 5,688 projects were awarded to bumiputra contractors.
The remaining RM496.35 million, went to non-bumiputera contractors spread over 407 projects, chief minister Lim Guan Eng said.
He stressed that all the contracts awarded were done via open tender in order to obtain the best price and the best quality.
He chided Barisan Nasional Permatang Pauh by-election candidate Suhaimi Sabudin for not replying when asked if his company or those linked to him were awarded state government contracts.
“He has chosen not to answer and this tells the whole story,” he told a press conference today after the issue on state government contracts awarded to bumiputra became a campaign talking point.
Lim also said the value of state government contracts being awarded had been rising every year since 2008.
He said contracts worth RM9.6 million was awarded in 2008, RM26.37 million in 2009, RM99 million in 2010, RM238 million in 2011, RM334 million in 2012, RM6.5 billion in 2013 and RM642 million in 2014.
He said the 2013 figure was high as it contained the contract for the undersea tunnel linking the island and the mainland and pointed out that the tender was won by a bumiputra-led consortium.