77.9 per cent of upgrading projects for dilapidated schools delayed

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 416 or 77.9 per cent out of 534 reconstruction and upgrading of school projects using the industrialised building system ( IBS) were delayed between 2016 to 2018.

According to the Auditor- General’s Report 2017 Series 2, by Oct 22 only 118 ( 22.1 percent) of the total projects carried out under the Ministry of Education Malaysia ( MOE) and the Public Works Department (JKR) were completed according to the original schedule.

“Among the reasons for delays are the project set in an instant mode (within three to four months) were implemented without taking into consideration the entire project implementation period (including procurement processes, landlords and Planning Permission approvals).

“It is also due to the rationale of the design and construction of the project as well as the consequences of offering over 10 ( seven to 16) projects to a single contractor,” said the report yesterday.

The report also revealed that the auditors’ observations on the management of the project had shown that they had not been implemented effectively due to the lack of monitoring and commitments from contractors or consultants.

The IBS based projects have been implemented since 2016 with an allocation of RM110.26 million by MOE, Implementation Coordination Unit ( ICU) and the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) involving 202 schools in Sabah and Sarawak.

However projects under ICU did not involve the IBS method.

In 2017, the projects were continued by MOE and JKR involving 120 schools with an allocation of RM271 million, while in 2018 about 394 schools were involved with an allocation of RM2.5 billion.

The report, referring to audits made between July 2017 and August 2018, also revealed that the reported status of work progress was inaccurate, contract costs for projects under MOE in 2016 and 2017 exceeded the allocation amounting to RM6.42 million and RM 3.13 million respectively, delayed payment to contractors and 11 construction projects valued at RM1.49 million were carried out beyond the project’s scope.

To overcome the deficiency raised and to ensure that the same thing does not repeat, the audit recommends that the ministry and the implementing agencies set the project completion period by taking into account the pre-implementation process and the overall implementation period of the project. — Bernama