KUALA LUMPUR: The Government Procurement Bill will criminalise breaches of procurement procedures when tabled in Parliament next week.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin confirmed the bill includes provisions for legal action against non-compliant parties.
“Under this bill, any party that violates procurement rules or tender procedures will be committing an offence under the law and may face legal consequences,” he stated after a community meet-and-greet event with the Chinese community.
He emphasised that the legislation applies universally across all ministries and government agencies.
The bill aims to ensure procurement processes are conducted transparently and with full accountability.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim recently stressed the defence sector procurement system must operate free from corrupt practices.
Anwar noted that past military asset procurement allowed companies and agents to reap excessive profits at the nation’s expense.
This practice weakened national defence capabilities while burdening the country financially.
The new legislation represents a significant step toward reforming government procurement practices. – Bernama