Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has dismissed allegations in the local media that it tolerates plagiarism and is wasting public funds in the manner that it awards contracts and approves claims payments by part-time lecturers.

The contract awards have also become the subject of several police reports.

UMS also stressed that allegations of an anti-Peninsular Malaysia group at the university are seditious and not relevant as evident from "the harmony that has been in existence all this while on the campus".

According to the UMS's Corporate Communication Division (CCD), the complaints raised in public have not been lodged officially with the university's Legal and Disciplinary Division. Alternatively, complainants can go directly to the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC).

"UMS is really concerned about plagiarism. Complainants are welcome to provide detailed information directly to the university," said a CCD spokesperson in elaborating on a public statement yesterday. "The university would be very disappointed if the complainants are UMS staff."

 No action taken

The spokesperson did not touch on a specific allegation in the local media that in 2000 some members of the English Unit wrote a book that was subsequently discovered by the dean to have been largely plagiarised.

However, it appears that no action was taken and the writers were even paid for the publication.

Several channels have been provided by the university for complaints, the CCD added. These include the E-Aduan in the UMS web portal, direct to the Human Resources Division or to the University Department Joint Council.

The statement gave an assurance that stern action would be taken against those found committing any breach of discipline.

The university's expenditure budget, for example, was based on the principle of value for money. This covers not only contracts awarded but payments to part-time lecturers as well.

Nevertheless, it was noted, allegations on payments claims highlighted in the local media were of a general nature and therefore could not be acted upon.

The thrust of the complaints in the local media are that full-time lecturers are also claiming part-time fees of more than RM 10,000 a month each and that a group of English Unit lecturers are claiming RM 32, 000 in part-time payment.

It was not stated whether the amount was being claimed by the group or individually. The complainants in the media point out that fulltime lecturers should be too busy with their normal schedule to do any part-time work.

Procurement process

Touching specifically on the university's procurement process, the CCD explained that it was transparent and controlled.

The UMS Procurement Board, it was stressed, comprises the Vice-Chancellor, UMS Treasurer and Registrar and representatives from the Finance Ministry and the Ministry of Higher Education.

Any calls for tenders and quotations would go through the process of four committees viz. open tender, technical, tender and tender acceptance. No one can be a member of more than one committee.

The CCD had also clarified in the statement yesterday that the university's awarding of contracts follows strict process and processes.

These are monitored periodically by the university's Internal Audit Division besides being subject to annual checks by the Federal Auditor-General and other relevant authorities, it added.

Among examples cited in the local media, is the RM30 million annual landscaping contract which allegedly has been divided between a Penampang Umno leader and a friend of a federal minister who was also not named.

No conflict of interest

The CCD statement and clarification is the second of its kind from UMS within the last five months.

Earlier in June this year, the vice-chancellor's office issued a statement denying "conflict of interest" claims levied in public by contractors against a senior university official employed on a contract basis. The statement also pointed out that the MACC had stepped in and the university had extended its full co-operation in the matter.

The contractors had complained in the local media that the senior UMS official held major shares in a private consultancy firm that is doing contract works at the university.

According to UMS records, the senior official had reportedly resigned from the firm before joining the university.

Two days after the statement from the vice-chancellor's office, four contractors led by one Mohd Zambali Mohd Ali lodged a police report against the senior UMS official, according to local media reports. They expressed disappointment with the vice-chancellor's statement.

Three weeks after the vice-chancellor's office went public, 13 contractors lodged separate police reports against the senior UMS official. They cited extracts from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) which showed that as at July 14, the senior official held 78 per cent of the shares in the private consultancy.