Auditor-General’s Report: 39 civil servants staying in quarters did not have rent deducted

PETALING JAYA: Thirty nine tenants have not had their salaries deducted under the civil servants quarters programme, costing the Government RM811,326, the Auditor-General's Report 2014 has found.

These were among the weaknesses found in Property Management Division (PMD), which was responsible for managing, overseeing and controlling Government quarters for eligible civil servants.

According to the audit carried between January and May 2015, the report also found a total of 575 units of unoccupied quarters were not promptly allocated after completion of maintenance work.

"RM3.68mil in rent arrears of 607 ineligible tenants have also been identified as at April 2015," said the third series of the report, which was released in Dewan Rakyat on Monday.

The report said the arrears were due to among others, the delay in informing PMD on the tenant's transfer, resignation or dismissal.

Incomplete repair works of quarters by the Public Works Department (PWD) and Putrajaya Holdings Sdn Bhd (PJH) and unfulfilled responsibilities of the appointed maintenance contractors were also among the reasons.

"RM88,787 worth in rent arrears were also incurred by tenants from non-governmental organisations," it said.

The A-G then suggested that the management enhance the enforcement activities by reviewing the mechanism of quarters’ allocation to ensure that any vacant units will be allocated immediately after maintenance works.

It also urged them to create a mechanism with the tenant’s department in order to immediately identify any ineligible tenant (due to transfer, resignation or retirement).

"Take actions against tenants who failed to comply with the terms of agreement, by issuing warning letters, confiscating deposits, imposing fines as well as informing Head of Department for appropriate actions," the report said.

It also suggested imposition of fines to tenants who failed to ensure deduction of their salary making them to be more responsible.