MORE TRANSPARENCY, GOVERNANCE AND INTEGRITY NEEDED IN GOV'T CONTRACTING, SAYS TI-M

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 (Bernama) -- Transparency International Malaysia
(TI-M) is alarmed by the apparent lack of transparency, governance and
integrity in government contracts, says its President Paul Low.

In a statement here Friday, he said despite promises of open (or restricted)
tenders, there have been many awards without tender, open or otherwise.

These include the sports betting licence, the new Palace and ancillary works
and mega land development projects such as the Matrade Expo, Sungei Besi air
base and Sungai Buloh hub.

"Cost overruns and defective performance persists with apparently no one,
either the contractors or those awarding and monitoring it, being
taken to task.

"Lack of transparency and governance allows corruption and is a waste of
public funds," Low said.

TI-M lauded the government's intention to implement TI's Integrity Pacts.

It provide for privately enforceable contractual sanctions such as
termination of contract, forfeiture of bid and performance bonds, damages to the
authority and competitors as well as blacklisting, for corrupt practices and
anti-competitive behaviour.

TI-M also urged the government to walk the talk on transparency, governance
and integrity and at the minimum, implement open tenders for mega projects.

--BERNAMA



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