Out with old cronies doing business with govt, Wan Saiful tells Putrajaya

PETALING JAYA: Putrajaya has been urged to “cleanse” the list of government suppliers and contractors and to rid the system of old cronies who obtained contracts based on political connections.

PPBM’s Wan Saiful Wan Jan said many businessmen had complained to him that they were sidelined by the previous administration, either because they supported the opposition or were in an Umno camp that opposed the minister concerned.

“Regardless of who businesses support, the government’s procurement system should not take this into account, and instead prioritise value for money and quality.

“This is where the civil service will determine whether the government’s ‘reformasi’ agenda will succeed,” he told FMT

Wan Saiful, who is also the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) chairman, said if those who were sidelined before remained so, then existing suppliers who include those who are not genuine businessmen, such as “Alibaba” vendors, might continue to win government contracts.

Then, he said, real businessmen who could give the government better quality and prices would be denied an opportunity, and such businessmen, who voted for change would become disappointed.

“My point is that if we want integrity, we can’t just look at the system, for the system to work, civil servants have a responsibility to ensure a level playing field and create real competition.”

Wan Saiful also said the government needed to come up with a “basic” guideline on political donations while a more robust political funding law was being drawn up.

He added that for someone like him, who wasn’t an elected representative but needed to serve those in his constituency, such guidelines, which ensured transparency, were crucial.

“If now someone wants to give me money to be distributed to those in need, how do I declare the money? The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) should have a form to fill up, how much, who donated the money and so on.

“There should also be some basic guidelines as to who politicians are allowed to accept money from and so on.”