KUALA LUMPUR – Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) will wait for the higher education minister’s explanation in Parliament tomorrow before issuing any response to the Auditor-General’s Report 2/2025, which flagged serious non-compliance in three of its procurement tenders worth RM58.45 million.
Speaking to Scoop, vice-chancellor Sufian Jusoh said the university has taken note of the findings but will not pre-empt the minister’s clarification.
“The minister will be addressing the findings during the question-and-answer session in Parliament tomorrow,” he said.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir is expected to provide a formal response in the Dewan Rakyat during the scheduled ministerial Q&A session, following growing scrutiny over procurement practices at public institutions flagged in the latest audit report.
Asked whether UKM would release a statement after the minister’s reply, Sufian said he does not foresee the need.
“We believe the minister’s response will be sufficiently clear on the matter.”
The auditor-general’s report, released yesterday, found that UKM’s Tender Procurement Committee had approved three contracts that bypassed key evaluation panels – namely the technical evaluation, financial evaluation, and pre-tender committees.
One RM22 million contract for the supply and installation of a Linear Accelerator (LINAC) system at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Mukhriz (HCTM) was awarded to a company (Syarikat 0074062-D) that failed to meet integration specifications with UKM’s existing ARIA system.
The equipment, including a CT simulator and contrast injector, was due by September 18, 2024 but had not been delivered as of January 17, 2025 – resulting in a delay of 122 days.
In another case, a contract was awarded to Syarikat 0726241-U despite it failing technical evaluation and having poor past performance, with one project categorised as “sick.” Justifications for bypassing recommendations were deemed unsatisfactory by the audit.
The report highlighted broader governance lapses, including the absence of Ministry of Finance (MoF) representatives from the procurement committee, and a Higher Education Ministry (KPT) representative who was appointed but did not attend any of the relevant meetings.
The audit concluded that the university had breached procurement guidelines, specifically clause 3.1.4(c), by awarding contracts to companies that failed evaluation criteria. It noted that patient services at HCTM had already been affected by delays, particularly in the LINAC system rollout.
Other tenders involved food catering services and the upgrading of 16 lifts.
The auditor-general recommended that UKM strengthen its procurement policies to ensure full compliance with Treasury circulars and financial regulations, monitor project timelines closely, and initiate disciplinary action against officials who violated procedures, pending the outcome of an internal investigation at the ministry level. – July 22, 2025