JOHOR BARU: Contractors for government projects should be selected through proper procedures and channels to avoid delays in completion.

       Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin told the Public Works Department (PWD) not to give out such projects to those who lobby for projects as they tend to lack the technical and financial ability to complete the projects according to plan.

       He cited an example of the Iskandar Puteri police headquarters here that was finally completed after seven years because of issues with the previous contractor.

       “Due to the previous contractor’s hiccups and delays, a new contractor had to be appointed to pick up where they left off.

       “So I have told the department not to award contracts to lobbyists in future and projects involving infrastructure construction should only be given out via the proper process.

       "They might not have the means, that is why they have to lobby for projects.

       “Look for good contractors that have the means to see the project through to the end as the ministry does not want the same problem to occur again,” he told reporters after a handing over ceremony of the completed police headquarters in Gelang Patah here on Monday (Nov 29).

       He added that all contractors that were told to end their contracts prematurely due to unwanted issues would be fined and blacklisted.

       PWD director-general Datuk Mohamad Zulkefly Sulaiman was also present at the event.

       The new police headquarters replaces the old one located at a three-storey shoplot in Taman Nusa Bestari here.