Kuala lumpur: The Senate today passed the Government Procurement Bill 2025 which aims to provide for the duties, accountability, governance and transparency in government procurement.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the bill was passed via voting with 33 senators in favour, eight dissenting, two not voting, and 14 absent. Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan assured that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) has taken into account all suggestions, especially in drafting regulations and orders, to enhance the criteria for direct negotiation procurement and improve the disclosure of direct negotiation procurement awards.

He mentioned that the Finance Minister's decision can now be challenged and reviewed via the review panel process and subsequently the impartial procurement appeal tribunal. 'In addition, the bill also introduces punitive action for any violations, and the Finance Minister is also not exempt from accountability if he fails to disclose his interests or interferes in the procurement process,' he said when winding up the Government Procurement Bill 2025 in the Senate today.

Amir Hamzah stated that the effectiveness of the enforcement of the punitive action will also be strengthened via a thorough monitoring mechanism and close cooperation between the MOF and enforcement agencies such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the Royal Malaysia Police, and the Malaysia Competition Commission.

He added that the bill was not tabled in haste because the government's efforts to draft the bill had begun in 2018 as an institutional reform measure, but were temporarily delayed due to the change of government administration in 2020 until November 2022.