KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Finance (MoF) will conduct a thorough review of potential improvements if the Selected Pre-Qualified Open Tender Procurement Method (Selected Pre-Q Procurement) is reintroduced in the future.
Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying stated that the enhancements must eliminate loopholes that could allow manipulation and ensure full transparency in every stage of the process.
“The Selected Pre-Q Procurement is a relaxation of the procurement method, an enhancement of the existing pre-qualification tender, enforced through the Ministry of Finance Treasury Circular with the aim of shortening the procurement period.
Projects using this procurement method can be awarded immediately to the successful company,“ she said during the debate on the Auditor-General’s Report (LKAN) 2/2025 in the Dewan Rakyat.
Lim explained that the ministry would strengthen control mechanisms to prevent companies that do not meet criteria from being shortlisted in the first stage and later invited in the second stage.
“This is to prevent companies that do not meet the criteria from being shortlisted in the first stage and subsequently being invited in the second stage, should the Selected Pre-Q Procurement be reinstated in the future,“ she added.
The LKAN 2/2025 report, released on July 21, highlighted that the Selected Pre-Q Procurement in three ministries failed to expedite procurement due to manipulation and lack of transparency, with only certain companies approved for tenders.
The method was in effect from March 15, 2023, to December 31, 2024.
Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir clarified that the audit covered the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC), which managed procurement at the time.
He noted issues such as non-compliance with first-stage criteria and repeated invitations to the same company for different projects.
“The selection method for company information sources or documents in the first-stage evaluation had been presented to and approved by the NRECC Procurement Board at the time,“ he said.
He added that a review showed 52 companies had passed the pre-qualification stage. – Bernama
