http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/ago-flags-lapses-usage-govt-grants-its-audit-report?singlepage=true
Lapses in the administration of government grants and programmes were flagged by the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) in its latest audit report released yesterday, which raised concerns over whether public funds were used appropriately.
The AGO said that among the 28 MDA projects which were checked, the deliverables for five of these projects were not submitted even though the deadlines were between one month and a year ago.
“There was no evidence that the MDA had taken prompt actions to follow up on these cases, which defeated the purpose of requiring grant recipients to meet the milestone deadlines,” the report for the financial year 2013/2014 said.
For 23 out of 159 projects checked, excess grants totalling S$39,500 were not recovered.
There were also lapses in the evaluation of projects for funding. For example, the MDA had approved an application for the New Talent Feature Grant scheme for funding of S$250,000 — despite it being ineligible according to criteria.
Four other projects under the same MDA scheme with approved funding of S$900,000 also did not have their proposals evaluated against all the criteria issued to applicants, raising doubts as to whether these projects deserved the funding.
The administration of MDA’s grants was in the spotlight recently after an assistant director, Lai Wai Khuen, 37, was charged for corruption and forgery. Lai, who obtained loans from grant applicants as an inducement or reward for facilitating the approval and disbursement of the grants, was jailed for 14 months last week.
The AGO also found lapses in the CPF Board’s monitoring and following up of erroneous Medisave claims. Out of 410 long outstanding erroneous claims that the AGO checked, no reminders were sent out for 79 over-claims outstanding for two years or longer that total S$101,500.
As of Dec 9 last year, there were 220 over-claims totalling S$204,000 that remained outstanding despite last reminders sent a year or more ago.
The AGO also found that the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), which administers Goods and Services Tax (GST) refunds to tourists, made 266 refunds worth S$35,300 to 11 claimants who were not tourists. Duplicate GST refunds were also given out. Among the 29 duplicates costing S$4,400, 21 were made to persons who were not the original claimants.
Among lapses by other public organisations, the MOH was found to have continued making payment in financial assistance totalling S$64,000 to 99 persons for two to 32 months after these disabled elderly had died. The ministry said the mistakes were caused by errors in death data that have since been rectified and full reimbursement of overpayment has been made.
Examples of other lapses
Ministry of Education
Overpaid housing allowances to officers — one got S$42,800 extra over five years — because of the wrong rates entered into the human resource management system, which were not caught by weak controls.
National Library Board
Between December 2012 and October last year, bought 249 titles worth S$3.76 million when these could have been S$6,000 cheaper, because a flawed computerised system had awarded the orders despite receiving quotes from only a single vendor.
NParks
An officer created and backdated 16 documents, as well as arranged with suppliers to issue another 11 backdated letters, for the development of the Gardens by the Bay project in order to meet audit requirements — however, the integrity of these transactions had not been compromised
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