Home Ministry to act against two officers

PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry will take disciplinary action against two of
its officers in connection with Prisons Department procurement management
issues revealed in the second series of Auditor General's (AG) Report 2015
Series 2.

Its secretary-general, Datuk Seri Alwi Ibrahim, said the officers were
found to have not complied with the rules set by the Finance Ministry
relating to the purchase of computer equipment and systems in Kajang
Prison, worth RM200,000.

"The ministry accepts the warnings of the Audit Department. We have
issued a circular to inform all agencies and departments, including the
Prisons Department, to adhere to the e-Perolehan, or e-Procurement, rules,
including the procedures of procurement quotations.

"Non-compliance on the part of the (Prisons Department) officers will
harm the government. We will ensure that such things do not happen again
in the future," he said after a media session on the AG's Report,
yesterday.

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa had yesterday
said the Prisons Department had been issued with a punitive warning for
its procurement management.

Higher Education Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Noorul Ainur Mohd
Nur yesterday denied that the Jerantut Community College had bought a
digital scale for RM8,000, or 10 times the normal price.

She said the college had bought two different types of digital scales in
different prices.

"Both digital scales have different functions. The digital scale units
priced at RM8,000 have more sophisticated and comprehensive features than
the one priced at RM800. The readings are more accurate.

"Both pieces of equipment were used in the teaching and learning for
Aquaculture certificate courses. They were bought according to the rules
set by e-Procurement."

Noorul Ainur said the RM8,000 digital scale was used during the fish
growth technique module, while the one priced at RM800 was used for the
fish-breeding techniques module.


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