PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today announced an additional RM4.2bil’s worth of opportunities for Bumiputera companies to participate in four mega projects.
He said the government has agreed to extend opportunities for Bumiputera firms to part take in the development of Menara Warisan Merdeka, Bukit Bintang City Centre, development of the Rubber Research Institute (RRI) land in Sungai Buloh and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) exhibition centre.
About 40% of the total value of the projects would be reserved for Bumiputera companies and the rest would be distributed via open tenders, Najib told a media briefing after chairing the Bumiputera Agenda Action Council meeting.
Of the four projects, some are already being implemented (such as the Matrade Exhibition Centre) while the Menara Warisan is still in the preliminary stage although the timeline for the project is being determined.
"For the Bukit Bintang City Centre project, it is in the request-for-proposal stage, while the development of the RRI land is expected to start soon," the prime minister said.
Najib said the four projects have varied timelines but they are expected to be implemented over the next five years, with some having been completed by then.
He said the Unit Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera (Teraju), the lead coordinator in driving the Bumiputera Economic Transformation Programme, set up two-and-a-half-years ago, has created RM18.2bil’s worth of business opportunities, financing and human capital development for Bumiputera companies through strategic collaboration with various government agencies and private firms.
"Up to August 2013, Teraju has approved facilitation grants totalling RM412.2mil for 87 projects implemented by Bumiputera companies from diverse sectors, with private investments amounting to RM3.7bil.
"This initiative has helped towards creating about 13,000 job opportunities," he said.
Najib added that the participation of Bumiputera companies in the High Performing Bumiputera Companies Programme (Teras) had increased to 450 companies – Bernama
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