Uggah (second left) presents a certificate to a participant while Rozita (left) looks on.

 SIBU (June 29): The Sarawak government is encouraging Class E and Class D Bumiputera contractors to upgrade to higher classes, said Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas.

He said this is the only way for Bumiputera contractors to be able to improve their income and their quality of life, and to compete with others in the field.

“The government not only wants to see Bumiputera contractors who attended this programme to succeed but also to increase the number of Bumiputera contractors to register to a higher class.

“If the central zone has 104 Bumiputera contractors who are in Class E or Class D attending this programme, it is not impossible for them to upgrade themselves and register themselves as Class C or Class B contractors in two or three years’ time.

“So, that is why I really hope these contractors will work hard to grab this opportunity. Do not give up,” he said.

He was speaking when closing the Competitive Development Programme at a local hotel here today.

Also present at the closing ceremony was State Financial Secretary’s office procurement division director Rozita Mohamad Ibrahim.

Adding on, Uggah, who is Minister of Infrastructure and Port Development, said the state government is also providing opportunities for participants to join the Restricted Tender or among selected Bumiputera contractors only, to be able to get government projects.

He said this is in line with the state government’s 30 per cent Bumiputera contractor involvement policy in work contracts for projects worth RM200,000 and above.

“At least 30 per cent of the government’s contract worth RM200,000 and above is being awarded to Bumiputera contractors.

“The Sarawak government is using this policy to enable Bumiputera contractors to take part in the government’s project.

“So, the success of this programme depends on the commitment and active participation of the participants,” he said.

On that note, Uggah revealed that as of June 20, 2024, the number of Class E and Class D Bumiputera contractors in Sarawak is 2,271.

Out of that, 599 were from the Central Zone (Sibu 136, Sarikei 118, Mukah 244, and Kapit 101).

On another note, Uggah lamented that some contractors who have successfully gotten tenders for projects would sub-contract those projects to other contractors.

He said this ‘Ali Baba’ practice would allow non-Bumiputera contractors to control the supply chain and at the same time control the market price.