PWD refutes news report, says untrue bribery common to secure projects
The Malay Mail
06 February 2017
The report
quoted an unnamed contractor as saying that 'incentives' were usually
given in installments to a top official, in some cases, the
secretary-general of the ministry involved, and that the sum would be
divided among those below the official. — Reuters pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 6 — The Public Works Department Malaysia
today refuted a news report claiming that bribery and corruption had
become an "unwritten rule" in the construction industry to secure
projects, saying that stringent rules were in place to ensure that
everything was above board.
In a statement, PWD pointed out that interim payments in projects were
made in accordance to the terms of a particular contract and made to
ensure the smooth running of a project.
"There is no reason for any contractor to offer bribes for timely
payment. In fact if the contractor is dissatisfied there is always
recourse for the contractor to go for Adjudication under the
Construction Industry Payment and Adjudication Act 2012 for a speedy
resolution," the statement read.
PWD was responding to a New Straits Times (NST) report which claimed
that bribery and corruption have long existed in the construction
industry, where it has become an “unwritten rule” to offer
under-the-table money to secure projects.
The report published yesterday quoted an unnamed contractor as saying
that “incentives” were usually given in installments to a top official,
in some cases, the secretary-general of the ministry involved, and that
the sum would be divided among those below the official.
"Regarding the claim that 'incentives' were usually given in
installments to a top official, and in some cases, the
secretary-general of the ministry involved, we wish to clarify that,
once a Contract has been formed between the contractor and the
government, for JKR Projects; the management of the Contract is passed
down fully to JKR.
"All project decisions are henceforth made professionally by JKR
conforming to the Contract. Hence the statement implicating the
Secretary-general does not have any basis at all," PWD explained.
It added that all site management and contractual decisions were made
professionally based on the terms of a contract, and that there is no
basis or need for the contractor to offer bribes
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