AG's Report 2015: Seven-year delay, RM12.88m cost increase for a police training centre

PETALING JAYA: Construction for a police training centre was delayed by seven years and the project cost increased by RM12.88 million, the Auditor General's report said.
Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang said the extension of time for the first contract was approved seven months after the original completion date.
He said the "A Single Roof and One Stop Centre" which would consist of eight training institutions was approved under the Ninth Malaysia Plan and had a ceiling cost of RM150 million.
The training institutions were namely for the General Operations Force, Special Operations Command, Federal Reserve Unit, Traffic, Crime Prevention, United Nations Peacekeeping Force, Crisis and Disaster and Armour Driving School.
Ambrin in the second series of his 2015 report said the project cost for the second contract had increased inappropriately to RM12.88 million including RM3.8 million for electricity cost.
He added that this was due to the consultant's failure in assessing the remaining works which had resulted in additional scope of work.
He also criticised the Home Ministry and the Public Works Department (PWD), the implementing agency, for the delay in issuing the Final Statement of Determination of the Contractors Employment for 14 months after the appointment of the saviour contractor.
The AG said Malgran Resources Sdn Bhd had been appointed by the Finance Ministry through direct negotiations to build the first phase of the training centre, the PGA Learning Centre, at the 1,300 acre site in Bentong, Pahang.
He said the learning centre was to consist of a lecture complex, cafeteria, saluting dais and drill shed, participant accommodation, dining and prayer hall, quarters, workshops, oil pump, security post, ammunition store, toilet, shooting range and others.
Ambrin said the work progress was unsatisfactory and among the causes of the delay was due to management problems and the contractors inability to complete the project.
He pointed out that construction management was unsatisfactory due to unorderly construction procedure, inappropriate design and unsatisfactory work quality.
He also said there was ineffective monitoring by the PWD, Home Ministry and consultant.
Ambrin advised the Home Ministry and PWD to learn from the issues that rose in the project.