KUCHING: The Sarawak Government will further strengthen the Contractor Performance Evaluation Report (CoPER) to boost contractor performance and reinforce transparency and accountability in state government procurement.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, said that CoPER is a contractor performance evaluation system developed in 2014 and fully implemented in 2015 for the Works Category, before being expanded in 2018 to include the Supply and Services Category as well as the Consultancy Category.
“The organisation of this workshop was not merely procedural training, but a strategic initiative to strengthen governance, improve the effectiveness of project implementation, and ensure that public resources are managed professionally and with accountability.
“CoPER must be viewed as a central pillar of good governance in the process of selecting and managing consultants and contractors,” he said in his speech when officiating the workshop at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) on Friday (Jan 23).
He said the CoPER system evaluates contractor performance based on project implementation, covering aspects such as quality of work, compliance with specifications, safety, and the overall effectiveness of project delivery.
He stressed that the implementation of this system also aims to identify high-performing contractors, while enabling follow-up actions to be taken against contractors requiring closer monitoring, thereby strengthening the level of transparency in state government procurement.
“In line with industry developments, the CoPER evaluation criteria are continuously refined to ensure the system remains relevant, fair and aligned with current standards, while supporting Sarawak’s aspirations towards sustainable economic development.
“To ensure CoPER functions effectively, accurate and timely reporting is crucial. All government agencies must consistently update the performance records of consultants and contractors to provide reliable data across Sarawak.
“Although it may add to the workload, CoPER should not be seen as a burden, but rather as an investment towards better service delivery, stronger industry collaboration, and increased public confidence,” he added.
The workshop was organised by the Sarawak State Financial Secretary’s Office through the Procurement Division, Contractor and Consultant Registration Unit (UPKJ), from Jan 22 to 23, and was attended by 160 participants from various technical departments and government agencies.
