THE latest Auditor-General’s Report has uncovered that approximately RM384.5 mil worth of spare parts procured for the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) remain unutilised, with some no longer usable.
The report highlights that the TLDM’s Western Armada depot holds 1.62 million spare parts valued at RM381.69 mil, while the Eastern Armada depot contains 6,040 spare parts worth RM2.8 mil. Changes in equipment on board TLDM ships have rendered some of these spare parts obsolete.
Moreover, the audit discovered that the monitor panel of the Eastern Armada’s Automated Warehouse and Retrieval System is damaged, further hindering the utilisation of spare parts.
In response to these findings, the Defence Ministry has implemented new initiatives and processes to prevent recurrence of this issue. Future procurements including spare parts for vessels, will now be reviewed by a committee and a board chaired by the Navy chief and deputy chief.
The ministry also noted that in certain cases such as the W6 routine kit spare parts for patrol craft, the navy could not use the parts because the vessels were transferred to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). – July 4, 2024
