AUDIT REPORT Government-owned Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) was found to have paid more than RM100 million to Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) for transmission services before a contract between the two was signed.

 

The first series of the 2014 Auditor General’s report however pointed out that payment should only be made after the contract is inked.

 

The eight payments, made between Oct 2012 to Dec 2013, totalled RM103.14 million.

 

The contract was only signed on Aug 26, 2014.

 

Checks by audit found that the Finance Ministry was informed of the payments in a letter dated July 22, 2014.

 

The Finance Ministry had asked the Communication and Multimedia Ministry’s secretary-general to advise the officers involved to abide by the set regulations involving such acquisitions.

 

The Finance Ministry, in a letter dated Jan 27 this year to audit, explained that the July 22, 2014 letter was not an approval of the payments made, rather, merely to show that it had taken note of the payments made before the contract was signed.

 

“Feedback received by the Communication and Multimedia Ministry on March 4 2015 stated that payment was made on services completed by TM.

 

“The ministry also said that it will form a committee to investigate the issue further,” said the audit, adding that the ministry had said that relevant action will be taken.

 

RTM has been using the network and maintenance services of TM since 1964.