IDEAS welcomes tabling of Government Procurement Act, calls for comprehensive reform

KUALA LUMPUR - The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) has called for comprehensive reforms and for the government to share the Government Procurement Act (GPA) draft before it is tabled in parliament so that stakeholders can provide input.

It said the enactment of the GPA would demonstrate the government’s commitment towards greater fiscal responsibility and adherence to stringent governance controls.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that the GPA would be tabled by year-end.

"It would also institutionalise the current political commitment to improve procurement processes in this country," said IDEAS deputy director Sri Murniati Yusuf in a statement.

She said the act should adopt high standards of transparency, wide-ranging procurement methods that are competitive and cater to the complexities of procurement exercises, as well as a robust domestic review system.

In terms of scope, IDEAS said it hopes the legislation could cover various government entities, including statutory bodies and government-linked companies, as well as government projects that are procured through concession and public-private partnerships.

"IDEAS' previous research and dialogues indicated that procurement legislation is not a panacea for all governance problems related to procurement.

"The current non-compliance problem could be caused not only by an unwillingness to comply but also by the limited knowledge and understanding of procurement regulations.

"Systematic training and career progression of procurement officers need to be built into the current reform initiatives. This will help to reduce the problem of non-compliance with future legislation," it said. - BERNAMA