KUALA LUMPUR: The Prime Minister has dismissed allegations by some parties that the proposed Government Procurement Bill 2025 will give excessive discretionary powers to the Finance Minister.
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that in truth, under the new Bill, checks and balances are reinforced.
"Procurement decisions, including those by the minister, can now be challenged and reviewed through an independent Review Panel and Procurement Appeal Tribunal.
"The Bill also introduces punitive actions for procurement violations, including against the minister, such as failing to declare conflicts of interest or interfering in the process," he said while tabling the Bill for its second reading in Parliament on Wednesday (Aug 27).
Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, said to further enhance fiscal management, the Bill continues the reforms under the Fiscal Responsibility Act and complements the Financial Procedure Act 1957.
"The Bill also aims to curb leakages and optimise national resources for continued economic reform and improved quality of life," he said.
The Centre to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) has called for the postponement of the Bill’s second reading, describing its current form as “institutionally dangerous”.
C4 said the Bill, which was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Aug 25), provides the minister with “excessive discretion” and “embeds conflicts of interest”.
It also creates a registry that is open to abuse and grants Treasury officials investigative powers which even police officers exercise under stricter safeguards, the anti-corruption watchdog said.
