Audit: Action against prison officers for computer system purchase

PUTRAJAYA: The home ministry will take disciplinary action against two officers in connection with the issue of a procurement procedure and management of a computer system and equipment at the Kajang
Prison Department.
The ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim (pix) said both officers did not follow or observe the rules set by the finance ministry on the purchase of computer systems and equipment at the Kajang Prison, amounting to RM200,000.
He was speaking to reporters when asked about a comment on the Procurement Management of the Malaysian Prisons Department as shown in the Auditor-General's Report 2015 Series 2.
"The ministry has set up an investigation committee and an investigation has been conducted. I understand that disciplinary action will be taken against the two officers.
"The investigations found that they did not follow the regulations and the ministry will abide by the Audit Department's comments," said Alwi.
He added the ministry had issued an instruction and internal circular that all departments, including the Prisons Department abide by the regulations, including the procedure for price quotations and other matters relating to procurement.
Commenting further, he said the project was small, worth only RM200,000, and did not cause much loss to the government as the computer equipment was at the Kajang Prison.
In a separate development, the higher education ministry said the issue of the purchase of two digital weighing scales worth RM800 and RM8,000 within 42 days in 2012 was because both items differed in specification.
Its secretary-general, Tan Sri Dr Noorul Ainur said the RM8,000 weighing scale had more sophistication specifications, was more comprehensive and gave more accurate reading as compared to the one worth
RM800.
She said both scales were used in the Fish Breeding Module at the Jerantut Community College's Certificate in Aquaculture course and were purchased, according to the procedure in the e-procurement system.
According to the Auditor-General's Report 2015 Series 2, the community college purchased both equipment at different prices, with the first one worth RM800 bought on July 27, 2012, and the other, priced at
RM8,000, bought on Sept 6, 2012.
Commenting further, Noorul Ainur said the RM800 weighing scale was made of plastic, was light and could easily be used for weighing purposes in fish breeding and fry harvesting activities in the course.
She added that it was not as sophisticated as the RM8,000 weighing scale.
Asked if the ministry had made a mistake in purchasing two of the same weighing scale, Noorul Ainur said they were bought for two modules at the community college, in accordance with the learning and curriculum package. — Bernama