KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Not every infrastructure project that is to be carried out in Perak needs to go through the process of an open tender, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu.

Ahmad Faizal, in a report by Sinar Harian, was quoted as saying this was due to issues surrounding worker safety and projects that have a quick turnaround period.

He said the awarding of projects to concessionaire companies by the state government through direct negotiations was done after careful consideration, especially after the company’s ability to complete the task had been taken into account.

"For example, if there is a complaint of potholes, the relevant local departments and authorities would have to arrange a meeting to approve (the repairs). But if it was a private company handling it, they would immediately fix the problem within a period of 24 hours.

"For places where safety and security factors are involved, such as the mentri besar’s official residence or police stations, do we still have to go through an open tender?” he was quoted as saying in the report.

Ahmad Faizal was commenting on the news that a concessionaire company had been given a direct tender, to carry out work under the Malaysian Road Records Information System (Marris).

Last month, Perak PKR chief Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak accused Ahmad Faizal of quietly and directly awarding concessions for the maintenance of state roads to a company that had also been given another contract under a different name.

On Thursday, Perak Communications, Multimedia, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), and Information Committee chairman Hasnul Zulkarnain Abd Munaim said the appointment of the concessionaire company was done without tender as it followed the practice of the Public Works Department’s (PWD) appointment of such entities.