KUALA LUMPUR, August 29 — The Dewan Rakyat yesterday passed the Government Procurement Bill 2025 at its second reading, with 125 MPs voting in favour, 63 against, one abstaining, and one suspended.
Despite strong resistance from the Opposition and even some government backbenchers, Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul confirmed the Bill’s progression after a tense voting session. The Bill, tabled by Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is aimed at strengthening fiscal governance, combating corruption, and closing loopholes in public procurement.
While critics, including PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim and PH’s Puncak Borneo MP Willie Mongin, raised concerns over provisions they claim could grant overly broad powers to the finance minister, the government insisted safeguards were in place.
Key features include an Independent Review Panel and Procurement Appeals Tribunal to check ministerial powers, punitive measures against conflicts of interest and fraud, and wide applicability across federal, state, and local authorities as well as GLCs.
Anwar defended the Bill, stressing it complements the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2023 and the Financial Procedure Act 1957, bringing procurement rules into binding law. For the first time, offenders — including retired officials and private contractors — face fines and prison sentences for violations.
“This Bill ensures greater accountability and transparency while curbing abuse in government spending,” Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat.
