TEM - Binoculars bought for RM56,350, says AG Report

KUALA LUMPUR: The contract price for the purchase of a pair of marine binoculars (night vision) by the Malaysia Marine Park Department for an aluminium all-weather boat was found to be 2,805 per cent higher than the market price, Bernama reported on Monday, Oct 24.

The Auditor-General's Report 2010 disclosed that the item which could be got for RM1,940 in the open market, was purchased by the department at RM56,350, while the Bushnell binoculars (night vision) costing RM2,827 each in the open market, was procured also at RM56,350, which means, 1,893 per cent higher.

These were among the differences in prices for items procured by the department which had been identified by the Auditor-General's Department to exceed between 177 per cent and 2,805 per cent than the market price.

"From our calculations, the difference of RM172,501 in price could have been saved in the procurement, and the audit found no evidence that the department had done a proper market survey before purchasing the items," the report said.

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