Govt to review MRT2 project retender decision, says Mahathir
Prime minister says this following outcry that the termination of the MRT2 underground portion contract will leave about 20,000 workers jobless.
PETALING JAYA: In what is probably good news to workers worried about losing their jobs over the termination of the contract for the underground portion of the Mass Rapid Transit 2 (MRT2) project, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the government will review its decision.
Mahathir said the government would take another look at its decision to open an international tender process for the MRT2 underground work, as any restructuring work could affect about 20,000 workers.
“We are studying this carefully and reviewing this matter. It will be discussed,” the New Straits Times quoted Mahathir as saying after delivering the closing address at the Khazanah Megatrend Forum 2018 here on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said earlier today: “If the project continues, many of these workers can be employed when the (new) contract is awarded.” He said many of the workers would be rehired by the new contractor.
Putrajaya terminated MMC-Gamuda’s contract after the two parties failed to reach an agreement over cost reduction and related issues.
Lim said the decision was made after the government felt it could achieve “further significant savings”, compared with the offer made by MMC-Gamuda, through retendering the underground work package.
MMC-Gamuda KVMRT (T) Sdn Bhd (MMC-Gamuda), the firm initially awarded the contract for underground works, had on Monday said the contract termination would affect a workforce of more than 20,000 people, as well as 600 companies from the supply chain.
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A petition was started today to get the government to review its decision to terminate the contract as it will leave many jobless.