KL denies favoritism

KL denies favoritism

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The Malaysian government dismissed charges yesterday it practised favoritism in handing out contracts, saying any able group with good ideas and track record could win business from the state.

"No group could pull strings with the government leadership to get projects," Deputy Premier Anwar Ibrahim declared amid claims by the opposition and frustrated quarters that nepotism dominated deals awarded by the ruling National Front.

The opposition, led by the predominantly-ethnic Chinese Democratic Action Party (DAP), has consistently slammed the National Front for allegedly favoring only indigenous Malays and certain ethnic Chinese entreprenuers when handing out mega-deals.

Among contracts which fell under the opposition spotlight recently was the privatization of a national sewage project and a huge hydro-electric dam, both multi-billion-dollar deals awarded to selected parties reportedly without public tender.

Anwar said multi-racial Malaysia had a policy to safeguard the welfare and development of the Malays but this had never prevented it from being fair to other races, including ethnic Indians.