AUDIT REPORT Poor temperature control and shoddy water proofing at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (Upsi)'s two-year-old Kampus Sultan Azlan Shah (KSAS) has led to an outcropping of stalactites.
 
According to the 2013 Auditor General's Report, the RM459.58 million project – awarded without open tender - was also affected by dampness and mould, and is still awaiting a certification of practical completion despite being already in use since Feb 2012.
 
This, according to parliamentary Public Accounts Committee chairperson Nur Jazlan Mohamed, means that the building was “not according to specification” and “is not safe”. 
 
He said that the PAC will call the Works Ministry to for an explanation. 
 
The audit, conducted between Oct to Nov 2013 also found that waterproofing in two blocks were not working, causing defects to the plaster ceiling. 
 
This led to water seeping into the building, causing stalactites to form inside a building dubbed Plant House 1. 
 
Condensation build up caused dampness, flaking and mould on the outer wall as well as rust in corners at four buildings on campus. 
 
It was also found that the Building Automation System (BAS) which controls the fire alarm, chiller and air handling unit for the theatre, main hall and main lecture halls had malfunctioned.
 
Similarly, the Supervisory Control, and Data Acquisition (Scada) was unable to control the electrical systems, namely for the corridor lights for the experimental theatre and student centre.
 
The systems – the BAS and the Scada — were worth RM3.61 million.
 
To rectify the situation, the auditors proposed that Upsi and the Works Ministry should get contractor Kumpulan Sakata Sdn Bhd to fix the defects while the guarantee period is still valid. 
 
According to the report, Kumpulan Sakata was awarded the project through direct negotiation through the Economic Planning Unit and Finance Ministry.