KUCHING: The Works Ministry and the Finance Ministry are told to consider a shift from open tender to pre-qualified tender for the Pan Borneo Highway project work packages to streamline the tendering process.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said while phase one of the highway has reached 98 percent completion, the 35 work packages in Sabah have encountered some challenges.
He added that although some packages have been tendered out, around 18 more remain to be put up for tender.
“According to the reports by the Works Ministry, the tender process is expected to be completed this year for the remaining packages that have not yet been tendered.
“But as the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) said last night, we need to fast track what we can. That is why I proposed for them to do a pre-qualified tender.
“If we were to do open tender, it would take too much time but with pre-qualified tender, there will be criterias and only whoever is interested will take up the tender,” he said.
He said this when met by the media after officiating the State-level Livelihood Carnival at Dewan Hikmah Kuching here today (Sept 17).
He pointed out that pre-qualified tenders would ensure that only eligible contractors would be called to participate, avoiding delays caused by numerous applicants and unreliable contractor criteria.
“If we use the open tender process, not only will many apply for it and it will take some time for it to be processed, but the contractor’s criteria may not be as reliable as we hope for.
“And this alone will affect the project as a whole,” he said.
