Digital scale priced at RM800 but bought at RM8,000?

A digital scale worth only RM800 each was purchased at a price of RM8,000 per unit by a community college.

Ironically, the same community college was also found to have paid two prices for the same item - RM800 for the purchase made on July 27, 2012, and RM8,000 for the purchase made 42 days later.

These peculiar purchases made by the Jerantut Community College, Pahang was revealed in the Auditor-General's Report 2015 Series 2 following audit on the payment vouchers for the supply of aquaculture equipment at the college.

The report also found that within the 42 days period, the college had also purchased other aquaculture equipment, such as a broodstock tank, which supposed to be sold at a price of RM2,100 per unit, at a price of RM6,570, while a high-pressure water jet which priced at RM950 per unit was bought at RM2,850 per unit.

The audit on four payment vouchers for the supply of beauty and spa equipment by the Taiping and Batu Gajah Community College in Perak between May and December 2012 also showed unusual transactions.

A total of nine equipment purchased by the two colleges had significant price differences of up to RM6,000 per unit.

As such, the report recommended the Community College Education Department (JPKK) to ensure all community colleges undertake a more systematic and efficient equipment management so that the government would get the best value out of the money spent. --Bernama