AUDIT REPORT Procurement for supplies not meeting specifications caused the Malaysian Civil Service Department (JPAM) to suffer losses amounting to RM840,000, the 2015 Auditor-General’s Report revealed.

According to the report which was released today, three types of supplies were delivered to JPAM, which were 1,010 pairs of rubber shoes valued at RM68,680 via quotation, eight jet skis (RM400,000) and 64 surf boards worth RM371,200.

Based on the specifications, the shoes were to be of orange colour and the words ‘HAK KERAJAAN MALAYSIA’ in small fonts printed on top of the side of the shoes.

However, the shoes supplied were of yellow colour and not orange and they did not carry the ‘HAK KERAJAAN MALAYSIA’ words as required.

“Shoes in the orange colour required special requisitioning in line with the corporate colours of JPAM whereas the yellow variety is readily available in the market,” the report said.

It said by right, JPAM should have rejected the consignments and demanded a return of the overpayment it made for the (yellow) shoes that were supplied.

The audit also found the jet skis also did meet JPAM’s orange colour specification.

The audit on JPAM carried from June till September 2015 also found procurement management and JPAM’s services to be less than satisfactory, including the occurence of splitting purchases in procurement management to the tune of RM5.80 million.

Delays in signing contracts between  93 and 554 days and lateness in submitting implementing bonds between four and 70 days had caused losses of RM0.65 million, said the report.

“Besides these, supplies, among others inflatable boat 12’, commander signal baton, safety helmets, generator set, fireproof suit, breathing apparatus and surf board which were bought for more than 250 days were not used or tested,” it added.

The audit also found there was a mismatch in the records between JPAM’s headquarters and its state offices on supplies distributed.

- Bernama