Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) paid RM84,640 for two Acer Aspire 5052 laptops when the price for each was RM4,500, revealed the Auditor-General's Report.

The Balik Pulau Mara Higher Skills Institute also paid RM40,830 more for 15 Hewlet Packard P3005X laser printers and RM3.45 million for 450 Dell Precision desktops -grossly above market price and out of production now.

They also bought teaching manuals worth RM358,476, which were never used.

NONE In the report, the auditor-general urged Mara to conduct thorough market checks on prices, making sure all equipments are up-to-date and required by its trainees.

Mara also paid its supplier RM2 million to upgrade 21 laboratories after both parties agreed that work on 12 of them will be done without cost.

But the auditor found out that the suppliers had billed Mara RM205,446 for work carried out on the 12 laboratories, which it had earlier said would be done for free.

There were also differences in pricing for similar brands of "teachers' demonstration unit" and "work station for trainees" at the institute's laboratories and workshops.

Prices for the same type of table top frames, laboratory tables, swivel stools, swivel chair, table and chairs for students, power supply console and console items differed for the various laboratories at the institute.

If prices for the various items are standardised, Mara could have saved up to RM105,657 for the procurement of laboratory equipment, said the auditor-general.

"For instance, Mara could have saved RM11,760 for the purchase of swivel stools if they had kept the purchase price at RM340 a unit.

"An audit check revealed that Mara had paid RM810 to RM1,050 for three swivel chairs although they had bought the same equipment for RM336 a unit earlier.

"In our opinion, if they had bought the swivel chairs for RM336 a unit, it would have saved them RM1,702," added the report which was tabled in Parliament on Monday.

Unused software

The report also stated that Mara's failure to itemise the purchase cost for each of its equipments led to irregular costing and inappropriate differences in the pricing of the same item.

The report also disclosed that Mara had equipped its "Sensor" and "Control" labs with computer software meant for automotive courses even though no lessons for that particular course was conducted.

"The software is now kept in the 'Digital' lab and is not in use as they are not part of the teaching syllables," stated the report.

NONE In another lab, two automation equipments have never been used since Mara purchased them in 2007, added the report.

The report revealed that RM2.08 million had been wasted on the software which had been unutilised.

The auditor-general advised Mara to adhere to the consultant's pricing suggestion and use the current market price as guidelines when fixing the prices in contracts.

Mara should optimise the services of its consultants in analysing the market price to ensure the prices offered by the suppliers are reasonable, said the auditor-general.