KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 — Transparency International (TI) has asked authorities to investigate the purchase of faulty cargo scanners this year.

The 20 scanners worth RM242.24 million were purchased by the Customs Department and installed in late September but these were already not working properly.

"We need to know what the situation is. It is already December and the installation was done in September, so we need the latest information from the authorities,” TI president Muhammad Mohan told Malaysiakini.

The scanners were reportedly only 53 per cent operational. The firm that sold them said the scanners were working fine and that they have resolved issues found.

Mohan said, however, that the Finance Ministry and Customs Department must conduct their own investigations.

"To be fair to the supplier, the fine-tuning issue can happen but it is best to do a PAA. The Customs Department has its own audit and people from the Finance Ministry should give it a check too.

"At least the truth will come out on whether the machines are working or not (after the audit),” he said.

He urged the government to then disclose this audit report to show transparency.

Malaysiakini reported previously how a customs department audit found these scanners to be unsatisfactory but despite that it got government approval to be installed at various ports around Malaysia.

The ports are heavily reliant on scanners to expedite cargo fast and efficiently.