Pay contractors on time after they deliver projects, Kabong rep tells gov’t

Mohd Chee participating in the debate on Sarawak Budget 2027 during DUNS Sitting on Oct 16, 2026. Photo: JaPEN Sarawak

By Shikin Louis

KUCHING: Local contractors who have completed their projects should not be left struggling to pay workers and suppliers while waiting for the government to pay them, says the Kabong assemblyman Dato Mohd Chee Kadir.

He called on implementing agencies to take payment delays seriously, stressing that contractors who have fulfilled their contractual obligations deserve to be paid within a reasonable timeframe.

“When contractors have fulfilled their responsibilities, the government must also fulfil its responsibility to make payments within a reasonable period,” he said during his debate on the Sarawak Budget 2027 in the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sitting today.

He said delayed payments were putting pressure on contractors’ cash flow, affecting their ability to pay workers’ wages, settle bills with construction material suppliers and meet other financial commitments.

The burden, he stressed, was even heavier for small and medium-sized contractors, who play a vital role in delivering rural development projects.

He urged all implementing agencies to address the issue, saying contractors should not have to bear the financial strain of delayed payments after completing the work required of them. — DayakDaily