9 MP $15b Fallacy

RM15 billion construction projects up for tender; it was announced.

Is it true? or, it is a fallacy?

From my knowledge, most of it had been currently in negotiation and finalization stages and some of it had even been awarded. Out of the many listed in the plan, many of them are Design-and-Built/Turnkey projects and not for tender - it is direct negotiation.

Projects in Putrajaya are in an advance stage of award and the beneficiary is none other than Putrajaya Holdings Bhd. Various others are already "booked" and "promised" to "institutions" such as UEM, Maju Holding, MRCB, MMC, DRB-HICOM, Ranhill, Scomi, YTL, TSR Capital, and many others of the "anointed", "flavoured" and "favoured" contractors.

Pak Lah is going around the country to explain the 9MP.

I'm not sure how he would explain the fact that most of these projects are already under negotiation and finalization of award.

The publication and announcement proudly presents the news that these projects will be tendered out, as if, it is open-tender, which means anyone with the PKK licence can bid for it.

It's not true! Most are direct nego and it's not esoteric who are getting them.

The most interesting point is that Prime Minister Pak Lah said he will personally monitor and keep an eye on these projects.

What is he monitoring? Monitoring the award? Monitoring the project implementation? Monitoring the project execution and control? or Monitoring the profits?

Monitor what and how? He probably is competent in monitoring the award, i.e. award to whom, but I can't see he has any competence to monitor the project management processes and implementation effectiveness. All he will do is to assign projects to those anointed companies, those that had closely connected to the oligarch, and probably a spillover of some projects for those neighbouring lieutenants who had carried the right balls and who had shown loyalty in the recent guerilla war with the recalcitrant ex-pm.

The Malaysian Malay Contractors Association President, Datuk Roslan Awang Chik was so happy with the news and he delightfully said that the 9MP announcement is timely and contractors can now plan ahead to tender for projects.

I hope he doesn't get a rude shock and severe heart attack to find out that there are only residue remaining for the tens of thousands of hungry tenderers who will have to fight tooth and nail to grab a piece of the left over pie.

Master Builders Association President, Patrick Wong said this is good news and that they had been waiting for this piece of news anxiously. "With more jobs, contractors will have more choices. We are also happy with the distribution of smaller projects as it would benefit more people."

Mr Wong, I don't thinks there are not more choices; there will be many frustrations and disillusions as you will discover that only the smallish projects are available and the sharks and crocodiles do not eat ikan bilis. These smallish are up for grab by the class F contractors and some for class D and E.

TSR Capital Bhd deputy CEO, Tee Cheong Yau, said they will definitely be bidding for some of the new projects "already identified". Mr. Tee, be more direct and say that you had received the Letter of Intent (LOI) and are currently in direct nego with the EPU.

Mahathir will be back soon and I am sure he had a lot to tell us from his viewpoint.

Let's wait for another 3 days for another "tsunami" .