KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — The second series of the Auditor-General’s (A-G) 2014 report released today revealed that the Education Ministry spent RM6.6 million for 1,417 copies of a spell-checker software for 20 schools in Putrajaya.
Of the total, 270 copies of the software priced at RM280 each were surplus to requirement, the federal auditor said when noting the ministry unnecessarily spent RM75,600.
The spending was part of the RM28.28 million contract with a company called Brilliance Information Sdn Bhd to provide information and computing technology (ICT) to schools in Federal Territories between 2012 and 2014.
The report did not state what language the spell-checker was for, but the function is available for free with most word processors in English.
In a reply on May 7, 2015, the ministry said it had initially ordered 1,417 units of personal computers, the same number as the software copies.
However, its suppliers did not have enough units of the original model of computers, causing the ministry to order a more expensive model, but in fewer quantities.
A total of RM307.32 million was allocated for the contract to supply ICT to the schools nationwide, involving 12 companies.
The biggest award was RM46.53 million to a company called QSiT (M) Sdn Bhd to provide ICT in Sarawak schools.
