To broaden the playing field for state government contracts and to be more inclusive for all contracting companies, the Selangor government will soon start issuing its own Class F classification licences to both bumiputera and non-bumiputera contractors.

NONE "Now, there will be Selangor Class F licences for all contractors. I have proposed this in a closed-door exco meeting," state executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar ( left ) said.

Describing the process of pushing the matter through as having been "difficult", Jayakumar said the decision to do so had been made and in Selangor, at least, "now contracts are for all".

Jayakumar was addressing a session of a forum organised by the Malaysian Indian Business Association (Miba), aimed at gathering the views of politicians from across the divide, academia, civil society and businesspersons, on 'the battle to win the hearts and minds for the Indian vote'.

Jayakumar revealed this when  responding to a question posed by a member of the audience in an earlier previous sessionof the forum on when a firm owned by a Chinese or an Indian could bid for government projects.

With the move, he said, the path was now clear for more companies to bid for state contracts.

Criticisms from all sides

Several big projects, Jayakumar noted, had already been tendered out by the Selangor government, such as the Klang river restoration project 'River of Life' and the Tanjung Dua Belas, Bukit Beruntung and Ijok residential and mixed township development schemes.

"All they have to do is to fill in a form at the Selangor State Economic Planning Unit (Upens). The minimum requirement is a registration with the Finance Ministry, or better, if they are registered with CIDB," he explained, referring to the Construction Industry Development Board.

The announcement on the Class F licences is seen as significant, since it would allow all contractors to bid for government contracts.

bagan pinang 081009 indian voters The federal government had long ago frozen the issuance of new class F licences, thereby hampering many new companies - especially non-bumiputera firms - in competing for government jobs.

Many quarters had criticised the federal government’s requirement that only 100 percent bumiputera-owned firms be allowed to bid for government contracts as being problematic.

While it ensured the special position of the Malays vis-a-vis the constitutionally guaranteed quota on public works projects, it was seen as taking the share of contractors of other races.

Some had also questioned what they said was the unequal distribution of the Class F classification in favour of businesspersons close to the Malay-based Umno leadership.