MOM wasted public funds with non-compatible IT system: AGO
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) bought an IT system for S$432,407 without evaluating if it could be integrated with an existing system and after discovering it could not be integrated, left the new IT system unused for 1.5 years, the Auditor-General's report revealed.
The report, released on Tuesday (Jul 26), said the ministry had procured a Document Generator System (DGS) for integration with its Foreign Domestic Worker System, only to discover it could not be integrated. "This has resulted in a waste of public funds," the AGO said.
The AGO had test-checked assets purchased by MOM for its Foreign Domestic Worker System, costing S$27.49 million, and found that MOM had not carried out a robust evaluation before proceeding with the procurement of DGS.
After the ministry found out that its purchase could not be integrated, it decided not to use the system as it would not be cost effective to make the required modifications, it added.
"AGO noted that there was no documentary evidence that MOM had put up any plans to redeploy the unused DGS assets. There were only some working level discussions on the redeployment, which eventually did not materialise," the report said.
MOM acknowledged that its evaluation should have been "more robust" and that it could have taken more active steps to explore the redeployment of DGS assets to other Government agencies. It is currently exploring the redeployment of the assets within MOM, the report noted.
- CNA/kk