KUALA LUMPUR: Contractor management weaknesses were behind 77 per cent of 33 "sick projects" under the Public Works Department (JKR) as of Sept 30.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan said the weaknesses included ineffective planning and coordination at construction sites, insufficient manpower, and poor management of machinery and construction material supplies.

"33 of the 875 projects under JKR that were at the construction stage, with a total contract value of RM40.7 billion, were classified as sick projects.

"Based on an analysis of the 33 sick projects, 77 per cent were attributed to weaknesses in contractor management," he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Ahmad was responding to Datuk Mohd Suhaimi Abdullah (PN-Angkawi), who asked whether the ministry intended to tighten the conditions for contractor selection and performance evaluation, given that most sick projects were attributed to weaknesses in contractor management and financial problems.