RM3.2b ‘injection’ this week
(The Sun) PETALING JAYA (March 22, 2009) : Projects valued at RM3.202 billion under the Mini Budget will be awarded this week, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
The awarding of projects comes just 14 days after the Mini Budget was tabled in Parliament by Najib who is also Finance Minister.
Of the total, RM1.3 billion is to be awarded to contractors for the improvement, upgrading and development of facilities and infrastructure of schools. A total of 322 schools, throughout the country, have been identified.
Another RM95.5 million worth of projects will be awarded for the rehabilitation and improvement of police stations.
"The awarding of these projects so soon after the Mini Budget was tabled in Parliament shows the seriousness of the authorities in dealing with the global crisis which has also affected Malaysia," said Najib in a media statement issued yesterday.
"It is also proof of the government's serious concern for the people's well being and to stimulate private sector activity and confidence," he added.
Najib said projects identified under the first stimulus package were being speeded and monitored by the Project Management Unit (PMU) headed by Datuk Ir Mohd Othman Zainal Azim as its Chief Operating Officer.
To date, 16,386 projects worth RM1.67 billion under the first stimulus package have been awarded and implemented. These include projects to develop and enhance human capital, ensuring the rakyat’s well being and enhancing competitiveness.
"The development of the RM234 million HP IT Campus in Cyberjaya is underway and the contract for this has been awarded. A total of 30 interns for the Graduate Employability and Attachment Training Programme are being interviewed now.
"By the end of next month, all the 38,000 projects under the first stimulus package are targeted to be rolled out and expected to be completed by August. We are committed to ensuring speedy implementation of the projects to help the rakyat and businesses ride out the difficulties brought on by the global economic crisis," said Najib.
The PMU together with the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU) and other relevant agencies have been tasked to also monitor the Second Stimulus package. In addition, a technical committee has been set up to monitor the implementation of projects under the stimulus package.
The committee is chaired by the Treasury secretarygeneral and meets regularly to monitor implementation of the projects. This committee reports to the Steering Committee chaired by Najib.
The setting up of the PMU and regular monitoring by Najib himself will ensure that the targets set out under the two stimulus packages are achieved, read the statement
The first stimulus package of RM7 billion was announced last Nov 4 and the second package, the RM60 billion Mini Budget, was tabled in Parliament on March 10.
