A backbencher said the Government Procurement Bill 2025 grants absolute power to the finance minister, and described it as a “threat” to reform.
Hassan Karim (PH-Pasir Gudang) said that under the proposed legislation, Parliament would not be able to debate government tenders and purchases.
“One section of the law effectively puts the finance minister above the law,” he said during the debate on the bill in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Hassan, who has not shied away from criticising the government in the past, also felt that the bill was being bulldozed through.
Yeo Bee Yin (PH-Puchong) defended the bill, saying critics were being unfair and misunderstood the reforms.
“To claim this bill maintains the status quo is like an ostrich burying its head in the sand,” the former minister said.
She said the bill introduced better internal checks, oversight, and transparency compared with the past.
“If you really read the bill, you will see that it is more structured, it is more transparent,” she said.
Yeo also said the proposed procurement board and tribunal would create new layers of review and scrutiny.
She said the tribunal was also open to public scrutiny, even more transparent than the parliamentary select committees.
Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota) said the bill should have gone through a parliamentary select committee, as it was too important to be rushed.
He said people were not properly consulted, and warned of confusion over how the bill would align with existing state procurement laws, especially in PAS-led states.
He also asked if the new law would replace the current e-Perolehan system or work alongside it.
The proposed law aims to regulate how the government buys goods and services. It sets out clear rules for tenders, contracts, and payments to make the process more transparent and fairer.
The bill also outlines penalties for corruption and gives power to a new tribunal to handle procurement disputes.
Critics say it gives too much power to the finance minister, including the ability to exempt certain deals from the law, and that the bill is being debated with haste.
