Hello,Public Sector

On 6/6/06,The Prime Minister experessed his dissatifaction on the poor delivery of projects by public sector.And yesterday,he said it again in his usual diplomatic way to remind the public sector to speed up the projects.There are many reasons for delay in project implementation.From my experience in government department/agencies/GLC,the first thing is to examine the competency of a particlular organisation to plan and execute the projects.This matter must be resolved first,if not nothing changes.-Mohd Adib Noh

Published: Tuesday February 17, 2009 MYT 1:23:00 PM

Public sector told to speed up projects

KUALA LUMPUR: Only 70% of the RM7bil economic stimulus package announced last November has been disbursed and Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi wants the public sector to buck up in planning and implementing people-oriented projects.

The prime minister said that if the money was not spent quickly the Government’s effort to stimulate growth to cushion the impact of the global economic recession would not be realised.

“We understand that the allocation has been given, so it is the duty and responsibility of all of us to work as quickly as possible so that the projects can be implemented,” he said at the Defence Ministry’s monthly assembly here Tuesday.

Abdullah, who is also Defence Minister, said the country’s economic growth would be further boosted by a second stimulus package to be announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minsiter Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the current Dewan Rakyat sitting.

“This will surely involve a big expenditure, maybe more than that given out last November.

“This calls for all of us (in the public sector) to work harder so that what has been allocated is implemented as soon as possible,” he said.

Abdullah said that in the current economic scenario, the public sector was regarded as important and with a big role to play in rehabilitating the economy to ensure that the many projects planned were implemented by the private sector, whose role was to catalyse economic economic growth.

“As we work to rehabilitate the economy as best we can, it is the Government’s policy for the private sector to be the catalyst of our economic growth,” he said. -- Bernama

Comments

[ismail]

Dear Sir,

The delays is not due to the lack of project management expertise in the country.It is because of the unseen hands manipulating the process to fit into their own agenda.

The Penang Second Bridge launched by Pak Lah in 2006 have not seen much physical work done.And the appointment of a special task force headed by TS Zaini have not done much to quicken the pace.
They have publicly stated for more than a year that they are still fine tuning the terms of the contract .Given the standard forms that's so widely used in the industry and with minimal changes , the contract should be priced and inked within 3 months maximum.

We have the same delay in the Pahang-Selangor water transfer project.And if you delve a little deeper...you will find similar actors in the 2 projects..maybe its coincidental but one wonders.

So,Pak Lah should not be talking about the delays in the Rm 7 billion...he should be asking why are projects he launched 2 years ago still at the dock?

If JKR is given the authority for the implementation..with proper tender processes..I am sure the works can proceed smoothly.But if our political masters insist concrete is 600 per m3..its a lot tougher for the technical guys to come up with proper and ethical contracts.

As a Project Management professional,whats ur views on that?

[Adib]

Dear Ismail,
Thanks for your feedback.
I will give my views later after getting more comments from others.

[hilmi]

Pak Adib,

all things even branding takes the same theory as you said. I agree with you. :) If you just TALK the TALK. And not WALK the TALK.. then it's tough ;) kan kan? hehehe.

Hilmi

[Adib]

Let me qoute the definination of Project Management by PMI:

Project management is the application of knowledge,skills and tools and techniques applied to project activities in order to meet or exceed the stakeholder needs and expectation from a project.

The political master is one of the major stakeholders and as project professional management professionals,we are duty bound to meet their requirements/expectations and not just to deliver the projects on time, on budget and with quality.And as professional, we must also abide by the code of ethics.Many a time, conflicts of interest do arise and project managers must juggle between the constraints.IMHO,a compromise should be negotiated in the interests of all the parties to ensure the metrics of success for different levels(political,ministry(client) and the implementing agency) are adequately satisfied.