KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 2 — Failure to use open tenders for government awards does not invariably mean corruption and abuse, said former minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Defending directly-awarded contracts during his time at the Youth and Sports Ministry, the Rembau MP claimed to reporters in Parliament today some were initiated via requests for proposals but later recorded as direct negotiations.

"For example, for the Sea Games tenders (for the opening ceremony), some of them we did by RFP, we asked the companies to give us a presentation so we could evaluate the creativity of their performance,” he said.

Khairy said he is prepared to assist the current youth and sports minister, the deputy minister and any investigating authorities on the matter.

Earlier today, Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Steven Sim disclosed that the ministry awarded the majority of its contracts in 2017 via direct negotiations and not open tender.

The new government has mandated that all contracts must now be issued via open tender.

"There are reasons procurements were done in different ways, but nothing deviated from procedure,” he said.

Khairy said that all the procurements followed strict guidelines set by the Finance Ministry.

He also said he is prepared to assist the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in the matter.