PERKOBF hands over memo over award of projects to concessionaire

IPOH: The Perak branch of the Class F Malaysia Bumiputera Contractors Association (PERKOBF) has handed over a protest note to the Perak government over the award the Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) projects to a concession company.

The memorandum was delivered by PERKOBF Malaysia president Tukiman Radion and its Perak Branch President, Zairol Hizam Zakaria to a Perak government representative at the Menteri Besar’s Office at the Perak Darul Ridzuan building yesterday.

About 100 PERKOBF members gathered at the main entrance of the building in a show of support over the protest.

Tukiman said the four- page memorandum, among others, called for a meeting or dialogue between PERKOBF and the menteri besar on the problems faced by Class F contractors.

Speaking to reporters after handing over the memorandum, Tukiman asked the state government to revoke the award given by the DID to the concession company.

“Class F contractors are pinning their hopes for the projects, which were worth tens of millions of ringgit.

“We asked the state government to champion the fate of 2,546 Class F contractors in Perak as the projects can help us tide over our cash crunch,” he said.

He said priority for projects such as village roads, drain cleaning and grass cutting should be given to Class F contractors, instead of the concessionaire who was already stable.

Meanwhile, Tukiman also asked the Perak government to cancel the contract awarded to a concession company for federal and municipal road maintenance projects under the Malaysian Road Records Information System.

“In the past, federal and municipal road maintenance jobs were given by the Public Works Department and the municipal councils to small contractors.

“But now the jobs were given to a concession company, so we (contractors) were left without any job since three years ago,” he said. — Bernama