THE auditor-general has recommended that Sarawak “immediately” continue work on the abandoned Phase One of the Tg Manis water supply project, in view of the RM902.7 million already spent on it.

However, the state DAP is demanding a “full investigation” into the failure “at all the different levels and phases of the project, to make sure there are no elements of corruption and abuse”.

Bandar Kuching MP Kelvin Yii said it is “a clear failure of the Sibu water board (the implementing agency) and state Public Utilities Ministry, headed by Dr Stephen Rundi, in monitoring and enforcing the terms of the contract to make sure the quality of work done is up to par and (the project is) completed at the agreed time”.

He said he wants answers “for this negligence that has not only caused wastage to the state, but affected the supply of clean water to the people in Tg Manis”.

The latest Auditor-General’s Report states that the project, initially estimated to cost RM 848.4 million, overran due to problems with the contractor.

The project is to transfer 250 million litres daily (MLD) of raw water from Sg Maaw in Sibu to the industrial port city of Tg Manis 30km away.

The raw water is primarily for the aquaculture industry in the Tg Manis halal hub, and 60 MLD is to be treated at a local plant for domestic use by those living in and around the area.

The auditor-general said work on the project started in November 2013, and was scheduled for completion on November 10, 2015.

The contract for Phase One, awarded via direct negotiation, is to build a water supply infrastructure, including water intake, booster pump stations, reservoirs, treatment plants, supply and delivery of mild steel polyurethane lined (MSPUL) pipes, and installation of the pipeline.

However, in an audit carried out between October and December last year, it was found that Phase One had stalled, with no work having taken place on key installations due to the contractor’s lack of compliance with the contract’s specifications.

The auditor-general said the failure of Phase One means that the testing and commissioning of equipment completed in Phase Two cannot be undertaken.

The audit found the contractor for Phase One to be inefficient, providing low-quality work, and deviating from job specifications and the original design without written approval from the works superintendent.

The contractor was also blamed for overbuying MSPUL pipes, to the tune of RM12.02 million. – August 8, 2018.