PETALING JAYA: An immediate internal and independent investigation needs to be done to find out why the RM41mil Eastern Sabah Security Command (Esscom) forward operating base in Pulau Mabul is delayed, according to the Malaysia Corruption Watch (MCW).
Its president Jais Abdul Karim said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) ought to be granted full access to review project documents and implementation processes of the operating base, which was only 41% completed when it was expected to be ready by last year.
“This is because the matter involved border security interests,” he said when contacted by The Star yesterday.
He urged that an investigation be carried out for potential negligence.
The 2025 Auditor-General’s Report Series 3, tabled in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, revealed that the project, which was approved under the 11th Malaysia Plan, was inordinately delayed.
Jais said the delay highlighted a serious breakdown in governance and accountability.
“MCW believes that delays and incomplete work in a national security project should not be dismissed as mere technical issues. It signals an oversight failure, weak contractor monitoring, and possible elements of mismanagement or wastage.
“Greater transparency should be enforced by requiring public progress updates for all high-risk or critical security projects.
“MCW stresses that accountability in security projects is not merely about money – it is about lives and national sovereignty,” he added.
Jais also expressed concern over the 157 federal projects classified as “sick” or critically delayed, citing it as a sign of integrity failure and poor governance.
Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4) chief executive officer Pushpan Murugiah said the latest report paints a deeply troubling picture of systemic failures across the ministries.
“The Education Ministry now tops the list with the highest number of uncompleted and stalled projects, while the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has spent hundreds of millions of ringgit on ageing patrol boats that were never properly tested or even fit for duty.
“These are not isolated lapses. When billions of ringgit are allocated but classrooms remain unfinished and patrol vessels remain docked or unusable, the rakyat bears the cost in wasted funds, broken promises, and weakened institutions.
“What emerges is a pattern: weak project planning, opaque procurement, and a lack of rigorous oversight.
“Whether it is delayed schools or defective patrol boats, the common denominator is the same – a governance system that enables negligence and invites corruption,” he said.
Sunway University economics professor Dr Yeah Kim Leng said the annual and transparent reporting of administrative gaps highlights the need for improvement.
“To maximise its impact on government efficiency, these reports must be coupled with concrete accountability measures. Doing so would directly minimise the inefficiencies, wastages, and losses identified in the reports. This focus on accountability would powerfully reinforce the 13MP’s pillar of good governance and efficient service delivery,” he said.
Prof Terence Gomez of Universiti Malaya’s Faculty of Business & Economics has called attention to the inefficiencies in the current oversight of government agencies, despite existing legislation mandating audits.
“There is ample legislation to monitor these agencies, and audits are required by law. However, the system, though well-designed, isn’t functioning effectively,” he said.
Gomez attributed such failure to the concentration of power within the executive branch.
“The executive arm holds too much authority, deciding what can and cannot be investigated. This raises questions about the true independence of oversight bodies and their directors,” he said.
He emphasised the need for political will to address these issues.
“Is there a genuine desire from the executive to curb corruption?
“Without devolving power to allow these institutions to operate independently, their commitment to transparency is questionable,” he said.
