KUCHING Feb 17, 2011: The state Federal Finance Office (FFO) yesterday clarified that it was never involved at all in the processing and awarding of school contracts.
Its officer Jabidah Monseri in a statement explained that contracts for maintenance and cleaning services, unarmed security and supply of rations for schools in the state were handled by the state Education Department and the Ministry of Education in Putrajaya.
“Nevertheless, FFO will review the tender process to ensure that government procurement rules and procedures were adhered to,” said Jabidah.
FFO was referring to the disappointment by the Tasik Biru branch of Ex-Serviceman Association (PBTM) over the manner school contracts were awarded.
Its officer Jabidah Monseri in a statement explained that contracts for maintenance and cleaning services, unarmed security and supply of rations for schools in the state were handled by the state Education Department and the Ministry of Education in Putrajaya.
“Nevertheless, FFO will review the tender process to ensure that government procurement rules and procedures were adhered to,” said Jabidah.
FFO was referring to the disappointment by the Tasik Biru branch of Ex-Serviceman Association (PBTM) over the manner school contracts were awarded.
Last month, its branch chairman Jossem Daweg pointed out that what made them very disappointed was that none of the contracts were awarded to local Bumiputera contractors but instead all were given to those from Peninsular Malaysia.
“This is something very weird. Our members who also submitted their tenders for the contracts are wondering how come none of them could get the job when they are also Bumiputera,” he said.
He said what shocked them most was the sudden change in the tender for such contracts.
According to him the normal procedure was that the State Education Department will assess and recommend local contractors for the projects based on merits.
“The names of the contractors shortlisted will be submitted to Federal Finance Office to be finalised during the tender board meeting. But this time, what we really cannot understand is that all the procedures are being done in Kuala Lumpur.
“What upsets us most is that only the contractors from Peninsular Malaysia can get the contracts here while our local Bumiputera contractors are being denied although most of them have previous good track records,” said Jossen.
He said the other thing that they could not understand was how it was possible for the government to accept the tender by the Peninsular Malaysian contractors when the pay they offered for school security guards was less than RM4 per hour.
He explained that this was again against the government's ruling for the increase of pay for security guards to be at least RM1,500 a month.
On the top of that, Jossem also claimed that some of contracts initially awarded to the contractors from Peninsular Malaysia were being run by other people and not by the original licensees.
“Since most of us had been doing the jobs here previously we feel that denying us of the opportunity and instead giving the projects to those from Peninsular Malaysia is something very unfair to us.
“We believe that something has gone very wrong somewhere and we would be glad if the higher authorities can look into this,” he added.
He said the association had written a protest letter to be forwarded to those concerned. - Borneo Post -
“This is something very weird. Our members who also submitted their tenders for the contracts are wondering how come none of them could get the job when they are also Bumiputera,” he said.
He said what shocked them most was the sudden change in the tender for such contracts.
According to him the normal procedure was that the State Education Department will assess and recommend local contractors for the projects based on merits.
“The names of the contractors shortlisted will be submitted to Federal Finance Office to be finalised during the tender board meeting. But this time, what we really cannot understand is that all the procedures are being done in Kuala Lumpur.
“What upsets us most is that only the contractors from Peninsular Malaysia can get the contracts here while our local Bumiputera contractors are being denied although most of them have previous good track records,” said Jossen.
He said the other thing that they could not understand was how it was possible for the government to accept the tender by the Peninsular Malaysian contractors when the pay they offered for school security guards was less than RM4 per hour.
He explained that this was again against the government's ruling for the increase of pay for security guards to be at least RM1,500 a month.
On the top of that, Jossem also claimed that some of contracts initially awarded to the contractors from Peninsular Malaysia were being run by other people and not by the original licensees.
“Since most of us had been doing the jobs here previously we feel that denying us of the opportunity and instead giving the projects to those from Peninsular Malaysia is something very unfair to us.
“We believe that something has gone very wrong somewhere and we would be glad if the higher authorities can look into this,” he added.
He said the association had written a protest letter to be forwarded to those concerned. - Borneo Post -
Hak dan peranan orang Bumiputera merupakan perkara yang diambil perhatian dalam Gagasan 1Malaysia, ia meliputi hak berniaga, mendapatkan kewangan, hak untuk mendapatkan layanan yang memuaskan daripada penjawat awam.
ReplyDeleteSekiranya benar apa yang dilaporkan oleh Borneo Post maka saya tidak nampak dimanakah letaknnya kebenaran hak keistemewaan orang Bumiputera Sarawak.
Badan-badan NGOs seperti Dewan Usahan Bumiputera S'wak (DUBS), Dewan Usahawan Industri Desa (DUID), Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu M'sia (PKMM Swak), Dayak Chambers Industry Commerce (DCIC)dapat bersama-sama memainkan peranan agar perkara sebegini diberi perhatian dan tindakan yang sewajarnya harus diambil agar rintihan para usahawan mahupun ahli perniagaan dari setiap lapisan masyarakat Bumiputera Sarawak mendapat pembelaan. Wallahualam.
Ada baiknya ini terjadi. Ada hikmahnya!
ReplyDeleteSekurang-kurangnya kita kontraktor2 yang tidak ada kaitan persaudaraan dalam badan2 NGO diatas dapat faedah dengan menjadi rakan niaga dari semenanjung malaysia. Kalau nak harapkan DUBS, DUID dll alamat "sidak-sidak" sahaja lah yang dapat.
Mari kita tanya... DUBS,DUID PKMM Swak, nak tak mereka tolong kita dengan membahagi kontrak2 kerja atau membahagi-bahgikan kontrak pada golongan kontraktor kecil saperti kami.
Will you fight for us?