'British bids judged on merit'

'British bids judged on merit'

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuter): Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said
Malaysia would not award projects to British contractors on the
strength of loans pledged by the British government, the Star
newspaper reported yesterday.

Malaysia would not rely on the British for loans and any
tenders made by British firms for future government projects
would be "evaluated on merit without any consideration for
loans," the daily reported Mahathir as saying.

"If there is no loan and the tender is attractive we will give
them the project. But if the bid is not good, we will not give
them the project," the Star quoted him as telling reporters late
on Saturday.

Mahathir's comments followed Thursday's British court ruling
that Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd acted unlawfully in
authorizing 234 million sterling (US$376 million) in aid for the
controversial Pergau dam project in Malaysia.