By Amanda L
KUCHING, Sept 3: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has announced that Sarawak’s policy allocating a 30 per cent Bumiputera allocation across major State government projects has yielded RM200 million in contracts, following a successful pilot scheme with Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB).
Speaking at the dinner and opening ceremony of the 27th Annual General Meeting of the Malaysian Malay Contractors Association (PKMM) Sarawak branch on Wednesday (Sept 2), Abang Johari said the mandate allows Bumiputera contractors to take on substantial roles while continuing to collaborate with non-Bumiputera companies on larger developments requiring higher technical expertise.
In response to the rollout, PKMM Sarawak chairman Dato Ismail Suut revealed that 60 out of 61 projects under this RM200 million allocation have already been awarded through a ballot system managed by concession company DAL HCM Sdn Bhd, with contract values ranging from RM100,000 to several million ringgit.
However, Ismail warned contractors that increased access to government projects must be matched by operational performance rather than reliance on quotas alone.
“Being Bumiputera alone is not enough. We must make the effort,” he said.
To assist local contractors in meeting these industry standards, the Sarawak government has provided PKMM with heavy machinery, including tower and mobile cranes, to support technical upskilling.
Under this initiative, the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) provides specialised crane-operation training, which has already enabled several trained Sarawak youths to secure employment overseas.
Ismail added that expanding local technical expertise remains vital for reducing Sarawak’s reliance on foreign labour, while enabling high-potential contractors to be systematically identified and groomed for larger infrastructure tenders in the future. — DayakDaily
