Lim: Malay contractors receive more than 60% projects
Written by Regina William, The Edge
Fed up with the constant allegations hurled against him on sidelining Malays in Penang by various parties, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has vowed not to “play anymore games” with his detractors.
Lim revealed at a press conference today the list of tenders approved by Pihak Berkuasa Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) from May 26 2008, until Dec 14, 2009.
Out of the 66 tenders awarded during the duration by the PBAPP totaling RM113.17 million, 66.67% or 44 projects worth RM67.84 million were awarded to bumiputra companies while 20 companies owned by Chinese won 30.30% or RM43.83 million worth of projects.
Following accusations by various parties that his administration has targeted Malay traders with enforcement by the Penang Island Municipal Council (MPPP), Lim has revealed the list of projects awarded by the MPPP and also by the state-owned Penang Development Corporation (PDC) which showed more than 60% of projects being awarded to Malay contractors.
Lim blasted his detractors whom he accused of trying to incite racial sentiments with the Malays against the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government.
He lambasted the Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce president Rizal Faris Mohideen who had alleged during a demonstration against Lim last Friday that the state government had plagiarised the statistics obtained from MPPP.
More than 300 people from Malay and Muslim based NGOs in Penang marched to Komtar to hand over a memorandum to Lim, which they failed to achieve and set fire to an effigy of Lim before dispersing.
“This administration has better things to do than to dance to their tune all the time, asking us to prove that we have not sidelined any race or creed.
“Even though we have revealed the lists, we are accused of not stating the facts and statistics even though these details are obtained from the respective agencies.
“The state government appointed these contractors based on their pricing, ability to deliver, track record and not at all race based.
“We have been forced to check who owned these companies, due to the accusations against us. Our officers have better things to do than to waste time to compile these details.
“Clearly, by our statistics and facts, it shows that Malay contractors have been successful based on their merits and not having to pull political cables to win tenders,” Lim said.
He added that even those aligned to Barisan Nasional had been awarded contracts by the PR state government, as the tenders were based on merit.
On Rizal’s allegations of plagiarism by the state government, Lim said: “We know his track record as he hardly attended meetings as a municipal councillor in 2008 and how did he obtain the figures now?
“We did not pluck out these figures from the air; the facts speak for themselves.
“He can continue with his lies but we will not indulge him anymore as a police report has already been lodged on this,” Lim added.
