MALAYSIA WASTED RM 2 BILLION ON DUBIOUS SCHOOL SECURITY GUARDS?

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia  - The Auditor-General's Report 2012 cited "significant weaknesses" in the standard of the guards although the Education Ministry spent RM2.052bil on security services from 2010 to 2012, but the service provided was of questionable quality..

The report said 74 per cent of the 35 schools audited were not given the personal details of all their security guards. 76 out of 129 security guards working in the audited schools had no security clearance to prove that they had no prior criminal records.

One guard at SK Kampung Jawa in Klang was found to have a criminal record, but the report did not specify the nature of the crime.

Nine guards were above the working age limit of 58, and eight other guards over 55 did not have proof of their physical fitness as required.

• "The companies involved said they found it difficult to immediately fill vacancies with staff below the age of 55.
• "They also said it was hard to obtain security clearance as there was a high turnover of staff and the clearance took too long.
• "As a result, the quality of service and health of the guards is questionable," said the report.

Source: AsiaOne