Selangor rapped for hoarding funds for road repairs

AUDIT REPORT The third instalment of the Auditor-General's Report 2012 tabled in Parliament yesterday reprimands the Selangor government for hoarding federal funds intended for the maintenance of roads in the state.

According to the report, Selangor only spent RM640.24 million or 56.3 percent of the RM1.14 billion it received from the federal government for the maintenance of non-federal roads between 2010 and 2012.

When broken down, the state government spent 69.3 percent of the RM351.66 million in funding received in 2010 but this declined to 59.3 percent of RM368.36 million received in 2011 and 42.7 percent of the RM416.97 million in 2012.

Even though the under-spending accumulated RM631.27 million in surplus funds, the report said it reflected the state government's inefficiency in managing funds provided by the federal government.

Furthermore, the report said, a survey conducted by the Auditor-General's Office of 545 respondents in Klang, Gombak and Shah Alam showed 80 percent of them expressing dissatisfaction with the condition of their local roads.

The report noted that in 2012, the Public Works Department (PWD) in the Klang and Gombak districts had planned 119 road maintenance projects but only 80 were carried out.

The remaining 39, costing RM21.20 million, were not carried out due to "lack of funding".

Survey showed roads in poor condition

The PWD in the two districts had also applied for another 31 road maintenance projects worth RM23.41 million but only six were approved, at a cost of RM 1.71 million.

"The Auditor-General's Office is of the opinion that works that were not executed due to lack of funds are unreasonable because there is a high surplus funds as of 2012.

"The district PWD offices, through the state PWD, must regularly discuss with the State Treasury to ensure the same problem does not persist in future," it said.

It added that a survey of several locations in Klang, Gombak and Shah Alam showed the roads to be in an unsatisfactory condition, and that the relevant authorities have taken remedial action after the matter was raised.

The report also criticised the maintenance of these roads as some of them were of unsatisfactory quality or not well done.