It is not open tender which causes delays in projects, but poor project management, said anti-graft group Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) today.

"Meeting project deadlines is part of the project tracking and management. Here is also where corruption must be kept in check to minimise cost overruns and wastage," said its executive director Cynthia Gabriel when contacted by Malaysiakini.

She was responding to Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, who had said yesterday that open tenders can sometimes cause the government to lose money when the lowest bidder wins the contract but then fails to meet project deadlines.

This, he said, would cost the government more than the original budget when the project has to be re-tendered.

However, Gabriel (photo) insisted that that open tenders are the fairest and most transparent form of awarding contracts as well as to ensure a level playing field among the bidders.

"It is the fairest and most transparent form of awarding contracts and ensuring a level playing field among all those bidding for the job.

"The job must be given to the most qualified, not just based on price but also experience and capital," she said.

C4 is appalled by Tengku Adnan's "regressive" comments, she said, reiterating that open tenders and open contracting are crucial public policy initiatives to beat corruption.

She also criticised his comments that public asset declaration could make his family a target for criminals.

"Security cannot be used as an excuse. All civil servants must live within their means.

"There would be no RM2.6 billion crisis if there was a system to declare assets," Gabriel said.

Tengku Adnan's comments about public asset declaration came after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) remanded three senior government officials on Aug 16, including one 'Datuk Seri' title holder from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

MACC had also frozen the trio's bank accounts totalling RM13 million and seized a luxury condominium, including a penthouse, a bungalow and a Maserati, BMW and Audi cars.