RM214mil army camp incomplete, but falling apart

The Muara Tuang army camp in Sarawak, which was to have been completed in February last year, remains unfinished and defects in construction are already showing.

The Auditor-General’s 2010 Report says only 95.7 percent of the project has been completed despite the government allowing three extensions to the deadline for the RM214.43 million camp.

The audit team found defects in the wood used, concrete works that were starting to deteriorate and waterproofing material that has come off.

“It is recommended that the contractor and consultants be blacklisted if the defects are not repaired,” says the report, noting that some of these had been repaired during an audit visit last March.

The contractor, Konsortium Jendela Hikmat Sdn Bhd (JHSB), has not paid the RM10.72 million performance bond, as required by the Finance Ministry for projects worth above RM200,000.

JHSB, which had been awarded the contract in May 2006, has blamed this on the rising cost of materials as well as economic fluctuations that have affected the value of the land.

The Defence Ministry is paying for the project with 700 acres of land in Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, and 3.8 acres of land in Kuching, Sarawak, with the total value set at RM230 million.

The contractor had in April asked for another extension, promising to complete the project by Aug 11, but at time of audit the application had yet to be approved.

Kuching jail costs more, but smaller

Also in Sarawak, the Kuching Jail, meant to replace the Penrissen Prison built in 1882, was completed some eight years later than its scheduled date of August 2008.

With an overrun of RM56.11 million, the prison costs a mind-boggling RM221.11 million, including costs of demolishing and reconstructing the shoddy work of the first contractor, WMH Holdings, which had been appointed through direct negotiations.

“The consultant did not ensure adherence with the Engineering Code of Practice,” the report states, displaying photos of the work done, including ill-fitting columns and damaged ceilings and tiles.

Despite the higher cost, the size of the prison had to be reduced from 103 blocks to 65 blocks, catering only to 1,366 inmates and staff, instead of 2,665 in the original plan.

The report criticised the delay in appointing another contractor, albeit through open tender, as one of the reasons for extra costs.

The process of appointing TSR Bina took two years and seven months, during which time metal structures rusted and wooden trusses rotted.

WMM Holdings was paid RM132.67 million while TSR Bina went over the initial tender price of RM54.90 million to charge RM65.87 million.

Police evidence ‘unsecured’

Looking at another item, the Auditor-General rebuked the police force for leaving evidence unmarked, unsealed and unsecured.

It reported that the Kuala Lumpur police contingent had left 12 pieces of jewellery and cash unlabelled.

Another 109 items were kept together in a safe without labels. The total estimated worth of all the items, which were not marked properly, was RM22,027.

The report says that the store where the evidence - relating to drug cases - was kept was “in disarray”.

Auditors found that 38 cars in the Jinjang police store, confiscated as evidence in narcotics cases, were unregistered and left to deteriorate.

“There is risk of losing or misplacing the evidence. The vehicles endure rust as they are left to the elements, leading also to breeding of insects and endangerment to health,” adds the report.