$2.4 BILLION ECONOMIC BOOSTER PRIMER

$2.4 billion Economic Booster

Sir, why is it that you have taken more than one year to realise the economy had shrinked to this appaling state of affair -where everyone (contractors, consultants, and manufacturers) are contracting and dying slowly and steadily.

Now, the government had realise that the economy is shrinking fast and contracting at a pace that could result in another economic crisis. So, as damage control, 26 new development projects which was slated for the 9MP had to be fast-forwarded to revitalise the sluggish construction industry, which is the economic engine driver. These projects will cost the Government an additional RM2.4bil and are scheduled to be announced in the next few days. They are expected to commence from the middle of this year.

But is it too small to boost the economic engine? Will it heal the economy and prevent the coming crisis? Can three drops of water wet the desert? It may wet the lips, but may not quenched the thirst, Sir!

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the Government hoped this move would stimulate the industry that had contracted by 1.9% last year, and was expected to continue shrinking this year.

“These projects will be implemented through open tender to ensure competitive pricing." (Please keep your words Mr PM and tell your 2nd Finance Minister not to screw-up again). Jangan Cakap Tak Serupa Bikin.

“To benefit more contractors, the bigger projects that involve very high costs will be divided into packages and tendered separately,” he said when opening the 2006 Budget Consultation at the Finance Ministry yesterday.

Aside from that, the Government had also allocated RM500mil to finance maintenance works on existing infrastructures nationwide.These jobs would be allocated to F-class contractors, he added.

Of that, he said, RM250mil had already been channelled to the Implementation and Coordination Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department for maintenance works that would be carried out at state level.

These involved 8,471 projects, and 2,567 contractors had been awarded tenders to carry them out, he said.

Would the Government please publish the beneficiaries of these RM250 million projects? This way, we can see clearly how many Class F contractors are benefiting. Similarly, we hope the RM2.4 billion projects will go to a larger pool of contractors, apart from those cronies and hot shots.