Malaysia to start giving out RM600m jobs soon

Published: 2008/11/25
BT

By March 2009, about 80 to 90 per cent of the people-centric infrastructure projects will have been awarded to contractors, says the Implementation Coordination Unit

THE government will, from next month, start awarding to contractors RM600 million worth of small infrastructure projects identified under the RM7 billion economic stimulus package.Tan Sri Khalid Ramli, director-general of the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU), said the projects are people-centric, involving the building of basic infrastructure such as roads, jetties and drains.As such, he said, it is vital that they be implemented immediately."Speed is of the essence. You're talking about stimulating domestic growth, so it's very urgent that the projects are implemented fast.

"I'm determined to see part of this RM600 million kick off in December," Khalid said in an interview yesterday.He anticipates that by March next year, about 80 to 90 per cent of these projects would have been awarded to contractors.The ICU, which falls under the Prime Minister's Department, has specifically been tasked to ensure implementation of these projects."We're talking about a vigorous pace of implementation. So perhaps after December, January, February, all these projects must be awarded by this time. Then only you get the effect," he said.Projects will be awarded in several ways, including procurements, tenders and quotations, he added.