RM353.20 million and seven years later, the government's Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) meant to boost research in universities has been a hit and miss affair.
The 2013 Auditor General's Report found that projects funded under the programme from 2010 and 2011 had yet to be completed while targets had not been met.
And yet the FRGS scheme is set to continue, with the programme being one of five research programmes allocated a total of RM1 billion under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
The report said this is because of poor monitoring by the Higher Education Excellence Planning Division of the Education Ministry.
"This division receives project performance reports twice a year from public tertiary institutions in February and August, but no follow-up is done even if the projects are not completed in time...
"Researchers also do not make the effort to provide progress reports or adhere to project deadlines. As such, the ministry's hopes of strengthening the research industry is not met," it added.
Based on its audit on Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), only 61 percent of projects started in 2010 are completed, while a dismal 19 percent of projects started in 2011 are done.
The projects are to be completed within two to three years of the grant award, although some may be awarded an extra one-year extension.
The audit found that the programme has seen the number of PhD students jump from 3,711 when FRGS was launched in 2006 to 11,507 in 2012.
The number of journal articles published also increased from 3,711 in 2006 to 11,507 in 2012, while local varsities attracted 91,670 foreign students in 2011 compared to 47,928 in 2007.
However, the auditors found that this is insufficient as it does not meet the target of developing more researchers.
Blacklisted from future grants
The report said that of the sample 29 projects audited, 34.5 percent did not meet the objective of training at least one Masters student.
"The ministry did not conduct any comparative analysis on the project targets and project outcomes," it added.
In response, the Education Ministry said that projects granted RM30,000 and below did not have the capacity to train a PhD or Masters student as that would require at least RM42,000.
However, it said that the relevant universities have pledged to ensure researchers meet performance targets and have issued written directives on the matter.
On another matter, the ministry said that the grants are issued not in line with the academic calendar, causing delays.
It added that extensions have also been given to some projects due to ruined specimens and other unforeseen reasons.
However, it said it will issue notices to projects which have yet to be completed to be terminated and for the researchers and faculties with a track record of failed projects to be blacklisted from future grants.
The 2013 Auditor General's Report found that projects funded under the programme from 2010 and 2011 had yet to be completed while targets had not been met.
And yet the FRGS scheme is set to continue, with the programme being one of five research programmes allocated a total of RM1 billion under the 10th Malaysia Plan.
The report said this is because of poor monitoring by the Higher Education Excellence Planning Division of the Education Ministry.
"This division receives project performance reports twice a year from public tertiary institutions in February and August, but no follow-up is done even if the projects are not completed in time...
"Researchers also do not make the effort to provide progress reports or adhere to project deadlines. As such, the ministry's hopes of strengthening the research industry is not met," it added.
Based on its audit on Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), only 61 percent of projects started in 2010 are completed, while a dismal 19 percent of projects started in 2011 are done.
The projects are to be completed within two to three years of the grant award, although some may be awarded an extra one-year extension.
The audit found that the programme has seen the number of PhD students jump from 3,711 when FRGS was launched in 2006 to 11,507 in 2012.
The number of journal articles published also increased from 3,711 in 2006 to 11,507 in 2012, while local varsities attracted 91,670 foreign students in 2011 compared to 47,928 in 2007.
However, the auditors found that this is insufficient as it does not meet the target of developing more researchers.
Blacklisted from future grants
The report said that of the sample 29 projects audited, 34.5 percent did not meet the objective of training at least one Masters student.
"The ministry did not conduct any comparative analysis on the project targets and project outcomes," it added.
In response, the Education Ministry said that projects granted RM30,000 and below did not have the capacity to train a PhD or Masters student as that would require at least RM42,000.
However, it said that the relevant universities have pledged to ensure researchers meet performance targets and have issued written directives on the matter.
On another matter, the ministry said that the grants are issued not in line with the academic calendar, causing delays.
It added that extensions have also been given to some projects due to ruined specimens and other unforeseen reasons.
However, it said it will issue notices to projects which have yet to be completed to be terminated and for the researchers and faculties with a track record of failed projects to be blacklisted from future grants.
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