By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Sept 9: Government project implementers should not be soft-hearted but take a tough stance including stop entertaining extension requests or pleas from bad contractors.
This is especially true for those that are undertaking mulitple projects yet cannot deliver as they could jeopardise completion of any size of projects that used government and public funding which are important to the people, says Upper Rajang Development Agency (URDA) chairman Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
Nanta emphasised that these bad actors should be reprimanded after being fairly given chances to prove themselves worthy of the contracts.
“It happened in Katibas and Pelagus. The same company which undertakes several projects but performed poorly and yet they want to cling on.
“These contractors know how to lobby, but underperform and cannot implement properly and worse of all, continue to plead. I don’t think we should entertain too many requests for time extension, to continue as contractors when they obviously cannot deliver.
“We have to be very clear and stern about this because issues of contractors performing badly in projects have been raised from time to time,” he said when addressing the closing ceremony of Score Access Road to Tunoh in Kapit Project Stakeholders Engagement Workshop held at Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA) Complex’s auditorium in The Isthmus today.
Nanta, who is also Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs pointed out as a result of this, projects are delayed and costs could increase, while people would blame the elected representatives and it is also not fair to people who needed the projects such as roads.
“In a sense, the government and all those involved are deceived. I understand contractors and businesses hope to make money and some profit but not at the expense of the beneficiaries who are the people.
“To me, this can no longer be compromised. We should not tolerate, whoever they are, because it is our duty to ensure we deliver what has been promised to the people and planned for the areas,” he said.
The Kapit MP added that even the Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg agreed that implementers should go by the book and take stern action against these bad actors.
Noting that there are many good contractors out there, he however raised the need to assess them to ensure they do not take up too many projects but given out to those able to handle efficiently, especially to meet the timeline of projects.
“More importantly, projects are implemented using government funding and public money to uplift the people and areas as well as revitalise the economy.
“We do not want them to jeopardise the completion of a project. It does not matter whether it is a small or multi-million ringgit project but those planned and identified are important to the government and especially the people who will benefit from it at the end of the day,” he stressed.
Hulu Rejang MP Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong, Pealgus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang, Bukit Goram assemblyman Jefferson Jamit Unyat, Baleh assemblyman Nicholas Kudi Jantai and Regional Corridor of Renewable Energy (Recoda) chief executive officer (CEO) Datu Ismawi Ismuni were also present. — DayakDaily
