PUTRAJAYA, March 29 — The government is taking a firm approach in awarding contracts or projects to any party in line with the principles of good governance in administration, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said the awarding of contracts or projects with the intention of gaining something for oneself, or having a conflict of interests, for example, is not allowed.

"It’s better for us to be firm in this matter in order to save the country,” he said at the Finance Ministry’s Ihya Ramadan programme here today.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said fighting power abuse and corruption is an effort which was given emphasis in governance in Islam, but more often than not, ‘bribery’ was always deemed okay when it was categorised as ‘donation’.

"That is confusing. There shouldn’t be ambiguity and confusion between right and wrong,” he said.

At the event, Anwar also spent time listening to the tazkirah (lecture) by Federal Territories Mufti Datuk Luqman Abdullah.

Also present were Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na’im Mokhtar, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan and Treasury secretary-general Datuk Johan Mahmood Merican. — Bernama