Ministry Sets Up Committee To Study Marine Park Department Purchase

(Bernama) PUTRAJAYA — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has set up a committee to identify elements of non-compliance or negligence in the issue of equipment procurement by the Marine Park Department which was allegedly much higher than the market price as reported in the 2010 Auditor-General’s Report tabled recently.

According to a statement issued by the ministry here on Thursday, the committee was chaired by the ministry’s principal division secretary (management services) Junaidah Kamaruddin.

“The committee will conduct a detailed investigation by taking into consideration clarifications by officers involved before deciding the next course of action,” the statement said.

According to the statement, the purchase was made in one lump sum for a unit of aluminium boat for the use by the department.

“The overall procurement totaled RM7,513,429.05 including design, construction, testing and supply of the boat and not the specific procurement of equipment such as binocular, LCD TV, laptop, CCTV and radar as reported.

“The items stated were accesssories in the boat and were part of the package in the acquisition of the boat,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, to ensure the issue does not recur as well as for purpose of improving procedure, the ministry is requiring that a fair price and market study should be carried out for each item including those categorised as accessories.

The directive applies irrespective of whether the procurement of supply or work is carried out in one lump sum.

Departments are also required to get the involvement of officers from the ministry when they are implementing the procurement project, according to the statement.