Projects: rising costs not an excuse
Malaysiakini.com
Apr 25, 2008

I refer to the Malaysiakini report
MCPX
Gov't to delay projects amid rising costs.

Either our government is very poor in project planning or there are too many layer of corruption and unfair contract assignment. Design problem and rising cost of raw materials are definitely not reasons for any project to be delayed.

Companies who undertake projects should bear all the costs and responsibilities. It is part of their planning and feasibility studies. I am sure these contractors will put in some buffers for time and cost to cushion any unforeseen circumstances or problems that migght arise in the course of the construction.

I think they will make all the necessary agreements with their suppliers on the materials’ prices and delivery time. All contracts should state clearly all the penalties involved if the company cannot deliver the final product on time. If they don't agree, then don't bid for it.

So why are there so many failed and delayed projects in our country? Are they relying on the government to bail them out if anything goes wrong? Are they having a ‘special relationship’ with the higher authorities? Or is the government playing dirty to cripple development in all the states they lost in the recent election?

For failed and delayed projects, the contractors must pay compensation and be held liable for dragging their feet and wasting public resources. We want progress reports and more transparency. Is our government simply accepting their explanations and let them off the hook so easily without doing anything?

I understand that our Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has set-up a lot of independent committees that report to him directly for the monitoring of all the ongoing government development projects.

What are all these people doing? There is no feedback at all on all those plans and promises announced to the people. Now with his simple answers, he want to push everything aside.

Inaction over projects that fail will make the people more frustrated and they will really lose confidence in our existing government. We want an efficient and progressive nation - not a stagnant and corrupted one will all those empty promises.

Copyright © 1999-2007 Mkini Dotcom Sdn. Bhd.
Source : http://www.malaysiakini.com/news//81939