PETALING JAYA: Millions were spent by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on ageing vessels and untested patrol boats that cannot operate.
Some RM229.93mil of maintenance spending was allocated to vessels aged up to 30, while RM78mil went to boats aged between 11 and 20 years, the Auditor-General’s Report said.
The audit also uncovered that 26 patrol boats could not operate because no technical tests were conducted before accepting the assets.
Another RM32.54mil was linked to claims made without supplier invoices, payments for undelivered equipment, and items that did not meet specifications.
The audit also detected RM2.27mil in late penalty fees for delays in completing maintenance work that had yet to be collected.
The Auditor-General recommended that MMEA plan its maintenance spending more effectively to ensure allocations are used within the year.
“The agency needs to impose penalties for late work, ensure supporting documents for all claims, and conduct technical trials before accepting new assets,” the report stated.
