KUALA LUMPUR: The Works Ministry (KKR) will consider a proposal from the Malaysian Bumiputera Class F Contractors Association (PERKOBF) to increase the number of physical draw sessions for government tender projects valued below RM200,000.
Deputy Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said the proposal will be brought up at the KKR post-Cabinet meeting this Friday, along with three other issues affecting G1 contractors (previously known as Class F).
He added that the proposal will also be discussed at the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) meeting, the body responsible for overseeing and issuing licences to contractors in Malaysia.
Ahmad said the implementation of physical draws could help avoid allegations of opacity often linked to computer-based systems.
“As a more transparent approach, physical methods such as using numbered table tennis balls could be used and may enhance trust and satisfaction among contractors,” he said after opening the annual general meeting of the PERKOBF Kuala Lumpur branch today.
Meanwhile, PERKOBF president Tukiman Radion highlighted three other key issues in his speech: rejecting the proposal for G1 licence holders to be automatically upgraded to G2 after 12 years of operation, raising the project value limit for G1 contractors from RM200,000 to RM300,000, and addressing the oversupply of G1 contractors in Malaysia.
He said that PERKOBF, which has over 15,000 members, hopes the government will look at these issues holistically, especially in light of the rising costs of building materials, which are increasingly burdening small and medium contractors.
“I am relieved to hear the feedback from the minister, and I hope these proposals can be implemented,” he said.
