Kuala lumpur: The government has introduced the Government Procurement Bill 2025, aimed at strengthening fiscal management and curbing leakages, as stated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. This legislative proposal is seen as a continuation of the Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act 2023 (FRA) and is designed to complement the Financial Procedure Act 1957.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized that the bill seeks to optimize national resources and drive economic reforms to improve the quality of life for citizens. He criticized the practice of rushed direct negotiations that drain public funds and benefit only a small group of elites, stressing the need for significant spending on large-scale projects like flood mitigation, schools, roads, and healthcare.

Anwar highlighted that, from his first year in office, he stopped direct negotiations in favor of an open tender procurement system for regular development projects, marking a shift from past practices. The prime minister outlined the government's commitment under the MADANI Economy: Empowering the People framework, aimed at restructuring the economy towards higher value and improving the standard of living.

The prime minister also noted that the MADANI government established a historic milestone by enacting the FRA, which introduced strict fiscal management benchmarks and restored the finance minister's accountability to Parliament. He mentioned that the government has already advanced several key frameworks, including the MADANI Economy and the 13th Malaysia Plan, to address long-standing structural issues.

In preparing the Procurement Bill, Anwar stated that the government conducted comprehensive reviews and engaged with stakeholders across various sectors, including federal and state governments, local authorities, contractors' associations, professional bodies, non-governmental organizations, and academics, to gather feedback and present the government's intent.