Felda contracts worth RM148m signed without authorisation

AUDIT REPORT The National Audit Department has discovered that Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) procurement contracts worth RM148.42 million were signed without proper authorisation.

They involved a total of 64 contracts for the procurement of "light detection and ranging" (LiDAR), a remote sensing method, that were allegedly signed by the director of land management department without authorisation.

No assessment on financial performance was conducted on these contracts - 16 contracts worth RM11.4 million in 2013 and 48 contracts worth RM38.72 million in 2014.

"The LiDAR data collection by Bumitouch Sdn Bhd from 2013 to 2015 was already carried out," said the 2015 National Audit Report (Series 2) tabled in Parliament today.

"Full payment of RM40.57 million for 53 out of 64 contracts with Bumitouch was made although deliverables of LiDAR were not fully received.

"Works were commenced between 39 to 136 days prior to the appointment of approved contractors for 45 out of 64 LiDAR contracts worth RM33.83 million," it revealed.