DAP secretary-general Kerk Kim Hock today submitted two sets of documents containing allegations of abuse of power against a senior official in the Treasury Department, to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad ( photo ).

The sets of 17-page and five-page documents, which Kerk received in the mail recently, were handed to the premier's first political secretary Mohd Johari Baharum at his office in Putrajaya.

Kerk urged Mahathir to take the matter seriously and to call for an immediate probe.

"I am concerned about the seriousness and implications of the allegations in terms of how Malaysia's public funds can be mismanaged and policies can be wrongly decided or prioritised," Kerk said when contacted.

"(This is) due to non-compliance with established principles, procedures and even facts manipulation, if the allegations are true."

Kerk said the official was named in the documents is alleged to have misused his powers both in the Treasury Department and while serving in a different (unspecified) department.

In the second set of documents, he is alleged to have committed financial mismanagement.

Committees terminated

It was also claimed that the official had recently terminated the functions of four committees - "minister tender committee", "deputy tender committee", selection and appointment of consultants committee and the procurement special committee.

These committees were set up by Mahathir, who is also finance minister, to provide a check and balance mechanism within the Finance Ministry.

Kerk said the documents also detailed several examples of decisions believed to have been made without complying with the procurement principles.

Citing an example, he said the documents revealed that two small companies were awarded projects worth millions or ringgit without a clear reason being provided.

The documents also named four contractors who were awarded contracts to build 2,000 units of houses for teachers without prior consultation with the Education Ministry.

"It was alleged that the above awards were made on the ground that other contractors were less capable and their performance unsatisfactory... nevertheless, all four contractors were found to face problems in carrying out their projects," claimed the DAP leader.

Order probe

Another allegation said five contractors who were not registered with the Construction Industry Development Board and the Contractors Service Centre were allowed to build 2,400 schools in the country.

"The projects could not be completed as targeted because the contractors faced various problems like limited revolving capital and being awarded contract values which were too high," said Kerk

Other allegations included deferred payment schemes, appointment of unregistered contractors and awarding of contracts through direct negotiations.

"Although the documents I received were undated and unsigned, the in-depth information which specified the project and name of companies showed it was reliable," he added.

"The prime minister recently spoke about corruption being poison. Financial mismanagement, abuse of power and procedures are equally poisonous."