Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Observations in the Report of the Auditor-General for FY 2020/21, by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Question:

Mr Murali Pillai: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs with regard to the observations in the Report of the Auditor-General for FY 2020/21 casting doubt on the authenticity of several supporting documents on the work performed by facility management contractors (FMCs) (a) whether the Ministry can provide an update on the status of police investigations on this matter; and (b) whether technology can be harnessed to require FMCs to make contemporaneous digital records of work that has been performed to improve their governance.

Answer:

1.    MHA takes a very serious view of the cases involving possible irregularities in the supporting documents produced by MHA’s contractors for AGO’s audit.  In this connection, Police reports were lodged against two contractors.

2.    In the first case, the contractor was charged in court on 27 July 2021.  In the second case, the contractor was given a 12-month conditional warning on 19 August 2021.

3.    MHA is leveraging technology in the management of facilities management. In particular, MHA will be enhancing its enterprise Integrated Logistics Management System (iLMS) to enhance the contract administration process, such as the digitalisation of records and monitoring of the work processes for facilities management. Our processes will generally ensure that contractual requirements are met. Cost recovery is effected when there is non-compliance. But as Honourable Members will understand, once in a while, someone will get around the system. We will take action against such people, when they are found out.