BETONG: Contractors awarded government projects in Sarawak must start work on them within one month from the project award date, otherwise their contracts might be terminated.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said more stringent conditions would be made in awarding contracts.
“We have noticed some individual contractors getting, for instance, 20 or more projects at one time, which we fear will be beyond their performance capacity.
“Thus, those who failed to start work within one month after getting the contract, stern action including termination of awards, could be considered against them,” he said after the Betong Division Development Committee meeting here today.
Uggah said there was also concern of the process of repetitive sub-contracting, which can adversely affect the quality of the end product or worse still, the projects being delayed and ending up as ‘sick projects’.
He stressed that when any of these happened, the people would be the ones who suffer while the government’s reputation and integrity would be at stake as well.
The Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) government, he said, is taking a very serious view of any delayed and sick projects.
Meanwhile, he also said there is the need to spend the given annual development budget within its specified period.
“Like in Betong Division, we have the Betong Division Development Agency (BDDA) which has been allocated a development budget of RM1.5 billion which is additional funding for us.
“Thus we need to utilise all these and the extra funding as well. But if we continue to have non-performing contractors and delayed or sick projects, then we are going to have more and more problems,” he added.
Uggah also called on the respective government departments and agencies to engage all elected representatives to assist in implementation monitoring.
Among those present at the meeting were Betong Resident Richard Micheal Abunawas, assemblymen Datuk Gerald Rentap (Layar), Mohd Razi Sitam (Saribas), Mohamad Chee Kadir (Kabong), Razaili Gapor (Beting Maro), Friday Belik (Krian), Mohamad Duri (Kalaka) and Dayang Noorazah Awang Sohor (Lingga).
Also present were MPs Dr Richard Rapu (Betong) and Mohamad Shafizan Kepli (Batang Lupar).
