‘Bumi contractors won’t be sidelined’
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has promised Malay and Bumiputera contractors that they will not be sidelined or left behind. However, they must be willing to compete with others.
Malaysian Malay Contractors Association president Datuk Mokhtar Samad said the assurance was given by Council of Eminent Persons chairman Tun Daim Zainuddin.
Mokhtar said the association was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting with the council as it discussed issues pertaining to Malay contractors.
“Daim had asked us on our hopes and aspirations so that the new government could assist us. He had given us the assurance that Bumiputera contractors will not be sidelined, as the county does not revolve around Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera, but on who has the talent and ability.
“However, I have to admit that Bumiputera contractors still need a helping hand and the new government will continue to help using methods that might be better than before.
“We were given help in the past and now it will be much better,” he said at Ilham Tower here yesterday.
He told association members not to worry too much as the government would help them, provided that they were willing to compete with others.
Mokhtar was the first person to meet the council yesterday at 10.30am.
On the meeting, Mokhtar said he did not expect to see Daim for 24 minutes, as he thought he was given only four minutes to do so.
“This is a change that I want to tell the country. It was like he was the doctor and I was the patient.
“He cannot see me for five minutes as he is the specialist, but I got 24 minutes. That’s all I can say for now. On other things, Daim will let you know.”