21-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Hospital awards RM25.6mil catering contract to non-halal certified firm
KUALA LUMPUR: Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) in Cheras awarded a three-year catering contract worth RM25.64 million to a company that did not possess halal certification from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim).
However, the Auditor General's Report 2/2025 said the company, identified as 0267299-T, won a tender to "provide halal food to HCTM patients" from February 2024 to February 2027. The report noted that the company aimed to streamline the status of its main kitchen, which had received halal certification from Jakim.
The report said that the technical evaluation committee did not recommend 0267299-T, citing the company's failure at the technical evaluation stage as it lacked both halal and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifications.
The committee said the company failed the technical evaluation due to lack of experience and not having enough food servers and trolleys for the hospital.
Nonetheless, the company was selected because it met the financial evaluation committee's criteria, the audit said.
Only two out of 12 bidders passed the technical assessment stage, and 0267299-T was among the 10 companies that failed after scoring 53 per cent.
The technical committee recommended company 0797329-A as it scored highest, at 87 per cent.
"The audit review found that the company that was offered the contract, namely 0267299-T, failed the technical assessment but was still brought to the Financial Assessment Committee," it said.
The company was ranked fourth in having a cheaper price. Although it passed the financial committee stage, it was not recommended.
"The pre-tender committee was unable to make a recommendation that could be most profitable, reasonable and provide the best value-for-money to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
"This is because no tenderer passed and was recommended by both the technical and financial evaluation committees.
"Therefore, the pre-tender committee recommended company 0912013-P with the justification of the lowest price offer and meeting the minimum specification score," it said.
In response to the audit, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), which oversees HCTM, said the previous patient food supply contract was nearing its end, and the tender committee had to proceed with the new tender to avoid service disruption.
UKM also said that 0267299-T had applied for HACCP certification on Sept 24 last year, but the audit process could only be carried out after renovation works at HCTM were completed.
The report did not include UKM's response to 0267299-T's lack of halal certification.
The company was not recommended by the technical evaluation committee after its linear accelerator (Linac) machines failed to meet integration requirements with HCTM's existing systems.
As a result, key medical equipment, including the Linac machines, CT simulators and contrast injectors, faced delays.
Although scheduled for delivery by Sept 18 last year, the Linac machines had yet to arrive at the time of the audit, marking a 122-day delay.
"The delay in the supply of (this equipment) within the stipulated timeframe has affected services at HCTM.
"The delay in starting treatment has had an impact on patient survival, with 20 patients experiencing waiting periods ranging from one to eight weeks," the audit said.
In the report tabled in parliament this morning, the auditor-general found "serious irregularities" in UKM's procurement process, involving three tenders worth RM58.45 million.
The irregularities occurred when the tender procurement committee selected companies that were not recommended by the technical evaluation committee, financial evaluation committee, or pre-tender committee.
