PUTRAJAYA, March 29 — Contracts worth between RM5 billion and RM8 billion will be awarded to Bumiputera firms, including Class F contractors, for the Pan Borneo Highway in Sarawak and Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC) project in Kuala Lumpur, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

“The new policy stresses large and iconic projects under which contracts will be awarded to Bumiputera firms through competitive bidding,” the Prime Minister said, citing the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) as a pilot project for the new policy.

Speaking to the media after chairing a meeting of the Bumiputera Economic Council here today, Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said this initiative is part of the Bumiputera Agenda Steering Unit’s (Teraju) ‘Carve Out & Compete’ scheme.

Najib said contract packages worth at least RM5 billion will be awarded to Bumiputera firms from Sarawak for the highway project, while 50 per cent or RM1.6 billion of the contracts for the BBCC mixed development will be awarded to Bumiputera firms.

The BBCC project, jointly developed by Uda Holdings Bhd, the Employees Provident Fund and Eco World Development Group Bhd, is on the old Pudu Jail site.

Najib said the Bumiputera Entrepreneurs Startup Scheme (Superb), launched in January 2014 to help Bumiputera entrepreneurs and startup companies commercialise their products and take their business to the next level, has produced 90 new Bumiputera entrepreneurs in various sectors.

“Besides getting business grants, Superb participants are provided guidance and mentoring,” he said.

At the same event, Najib witnessed the exchange of documents between Celcom Axiata Bhd and Touch & Go Sdn Bhd for the implementation of ‘Adopt & Grow’, a mentoring scheme in which the firms provide guidance and advice to Superb participants.

The prime minister also commended Bumiputera firm Aiis Solutions Sdn Bhd for its aircraft engine cleaning technology using dry ice blasting, which has attracted interest from AirAsia Bhd.

“Today, we also witnessed the exchange of documents between Aiis Solutions and AirAsia to enable the low-cost airline to test the technology’s effectiveness with aircraft engines,” he said, adding the technology has been found to be more effective than the conventional method using water.

The new technology can also cut down on costs and fuel consumption, he said, expressing the hope that it could be marketed abroad. — Bernama