AES cameras: BN policy - 'Buy high, sell low'

YOURSAY 'These cameras are made in United States. The instruction is in English. The user should have no problem learning how to operate them.'

Home Ministry paid 10 times more for speed cameras

TimsTime: It was obvious that the Automatic Enforcement System (AES) cameras were overpriced. PM Najib Razak says to give BN a chance to continue governing.

This is the fruit of the 55 years of nurturing these leaders. If they have to take the money out from their own pocket, it would be another story.

It was recently reported in The Sun that the procurement of Special Purpose Vehicles cost RM160,000 was bought for RM790,000 each. Mindef (Defence Ministry) bought four units and the price difference is over RM2 million.

Nothing happen, no one get the sack and they continue to be promoted. Here we are saving like hell and there they are spending like nobody's business.

Stop Lynas Now: These cameras are made in United States. The instruction is in English. The user should have no problem learning how to operate them.

For a deal like this, even if training is needed, the supplier is obligated to comply. Don't make it sounds so complicated. It's just a camera.

If you buy a DSLR camera, it could well be more complicated than the AES camera. Ninety-nine percent of cost goes to training, that's fishy.

DontPlayGod: When a buyer buys any engineering equipment, the cost of training is usually included. This is the service that the manufacturer is obliged to give.

Why does it take so much to train people to learn how to use the AES cameras? Multiply that by the number of cameras, and that will come to hundreds of millions or even billions of ringgit just for the training fees alone.

All that you need is to send two to three people for training at the manufacturer's factory and these trained personnel then return home to train others.

How much would this cost? And normally the training cost is provided for by the manufacturer.

Bobby Cheng: The Home Ministry is in charge of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), national integrity and security, etc.

By right, they should be the cleanest of all. How can we have a rotten head? We are waiting for the Home Ministry to clarify this serious discrepancies.

Bystander: It's the same story as the Scorpene submarines purchase - when caught, they will say the "commissions" was in fact after-sales services and technical support expenses.

The training costs RM150,000 to operate the speed cameras, which cost RM15,000 to RM17,000.

So you mean PDRM don't have any competent technical people who can learn how to operate and maintain the cameras? Better try to convince my dog, it might believe you.

Relevancy: The cameras was bought since 1995 and delivered in stages? When was the last delivery? By all account, if it is 1995, that would the price of each unit.

As technology changes quickly over the years and production is lower, so is the price of the unit. The question than is how come the purchased price and/or agreement not revised or amended for later purchases to reflect the current market price?

MyFoot: Cronies get the fat contract and sub it out to bumiputera contractors for dirt cheap price. They get the millions but give the sub-contractors the leftovers to do the job.

The government closed their eyes on the sub-standard job and the blame game comes only after things begin to fail. This will never end until BN is kicked out in the next GE.

Sabahan: BN policy is ‘buy high, sell low', which is in direct contrast to normal, clean and smart policies in share trading and in trading companies.

I would not be surprised if some deputy minister or minister will soon declare that these cameras have special modifications, as similar cameras used in all other countries are not good enough for Malaysia.

I guess Malaysia needs special modifications to 'speed' up the looting of money from the rakyat.

Hot Khong: If the maintenance, warranty, etc, come up to 10 times more costly, I think it would be better to just throw any defective/malfunctioned cameras and buy new ones.

But, you're right, we will need to see the entire statement of work/purchase documents to be sure... Yet, my skepticism remains.

Pinkpanther: Could I use the funds to pay my company to develop the technology in Malaysia? My gosh, this is a huge price to pay for an outdated technology.

LittleGiant: The Home Ministry will come up with all kinds of response to this issue and make a mockery of itself. It's nothing new.

Unless government leaders and the entire civil service of the country have respect and regard for the public funds that they are entrusted with, nothing good will come out of all these revelations.

The government should have the conscience to realise that each and every ringgit spent wrongly or mismanaged would have an impact on the nation's economy and could ultimately result in destroying the nation's wealth.

It is in the hands of the rakyat to put an end to all these abuse of public funds and elect a government that believes in absolute transparency and accountability as its core values and guiding principles.

Anonymous_rb345: Are we sure we can still use these cameras which are more than 17 years old? These cameras purchased in 1995 should be outdated and the technology is obsolete.

Zekai: I'm sure the minister will come up with some creative answers like the cameras bought came with super batteries that last for 20 years, or the cameras were custom made for tropical weather. - Malaysiakini