KUALA LUMPUR — The Audit Department found staffing and financial irregularities at the Malaysian High Commission in India, including unpaid rent and the appointment of a lower-grade civil servant as the High Commissioner.
According to the Auditor-General’s Report Series 3, despite a RM3.3 million allocation for administration and development, the High Commission failed to pay RM11,933 in premiums and RM298 in rent to the Indian government.
Although the Indian government has not made any claims for these arrears, the Audit Department warned that this could pose issues of reciprocity under Article 23(1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, as per the Diplomatic Privileges (Vienna Convention) Act 1966.
“It was found that the implementation bond for the procurement of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and house paint for the High Commission’s Home Based Staff was not made according to stipulated protocols, and was done via cheques with a validity period of three months.
“This does not comply with the Treasury Circular on Government Procurement 4.2,” the audit summary stated.
Meanwhile, the audit department also discovered that the scope of work to repair 24 CCTV cameras, which was changed to the replacement of 29 units, was not presented to the Approval Committee.
The new 29 CCTV cameras supplied on October 17, 2023, were also not registered in the High Commission’s asset register as of the audit date, a delay of 133 days.
In addition, Malaysia’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi had also employed a lower-grade civil servant as High Commissioner.
The audit report showed that instead of having a JUSA A Grade officer as High Commissioner as approved by the Public Service Department, the diplomatic mission employed a JUSA B Grade officer.
Additionally, although an employment warrant stipulates a workforce of 10 Malaysians and 35 locals, this was not complied with.
However, the report did not reveal how the warrant was flouted. — October 14, 2024