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The Star - March 23, 2008
Watchdog backs proposal to have
open tenders for projects
PETALING JAYA:
Transparency-International Malaysia fully backs any
proposal to award projects through open tenders as it
will reduce corruption and bring about transparency,
integrity and accountability.
Its president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said the call by
MCA Education Bureau chief Senator Datuk Lee Sing Chooi
to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for
the use of open tenders was somewhat unprecedented.
“His statement ought to be praised and I am happy that
leaders within the Government are now saying it,” said
Ramon.
“I urge other government leaders to express their views
honestly on policies and practices in order to safeguard
the national and public interest and to increase the
quality of governance.”
Ramon said closed and restricted tendering had led to
considerable wastage of public funds and also caused the
people not to gain the best returns from government
expenditures.
“It has also slowed down economic growth, adversely
affected equity and income distribution,” he said,
adding that Malaysia did have a truly open tender system
back in the 1970s.
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