After CEO arrest over uCustoms, MACC urged to probe senior govt officers, ministers

 

The MACC should also investigate senior government officers and ministers who were involved with the Customs Department uCustoms system project, said Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng.

This comes after the MACC yesterday arrested the chief executive officer (CEO) of a company linked to the uCustoms system worth RM397.43 million, which has yet to be completed since the project began in October 2013.

“Congratulations to the MACC for the arrest of a CEO of a company linked to the uCustoms system project.

“However, it is more than just the CEO of the company, as a syndicate can never operate without the help of senior government officers and even ministers who approved the series of payments since 2013.

“These people should also be investigated, and if they are still in active service, they should be suspended from their services while both Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the MACC are investigating the cases,” Lim said in a statement today.

He said he would also like to know if payments made to the company were done with “transparency and accountability”.

On Sept 29, MACC Chief Commissioner Azam Baki had said they will investigate the uCustoms system as the issue was raised in the National Audit Report 2019 Series 2, which was recently tabled in Parliament.

The audit report revealed that the uCustoms system – which was meant to replace the Customs Information System – was still not completed after 86 months, even though it had been given five extensions of time (EOT).

The report further revealed that a total of RM272.99 million had been paid to the suppliers and project management office, while only one liquidated ascertained damage (LAD) amounting to RM55,660 was imposed.

Lim said it is a “very serious matter” how such a large amount of money could have been paid to the suppliers and project management officer when the project had not been delivered within 86 months despite the five EOTs.

“It not only shows the incompetence of the company but also the monitoring agencies and the ministers who oversaw the project,” Lim said. - Mkini