PETALING JAYA: A RM600,000 investment on 70 Arowana fish for the Ornamental Fish Programme in Bukit Merah, Perak, has become a stillborn plan. The fish are not breeding.
The Auditor-General’s report (second series) said the fish had not reproduced since they were bought in 2011, although the norm for natural breeding is once a year.
An audit on the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA), which manages the Aquaculture Programme in Kedah, Perlis, Perak and Penang, revealed the programme’s overall management was not satisfactory.
“A total of 1,600 fish cages were built for the Sungai Menghulu aquaculture programme, but 800 cages were destroyed during a storm.
“Progressive Ocean Sdn Bhd rebuilt 400 cages, but only 100 of those are in use,” the report read, referring to one of five anchor companies running the programme.
The anchor company had also built a food processing plant in Tanjung Dawai that was not in accordance with the terms of agreement. Yet, NCIA approved a RM5mil payment for it.
For white shrimp production, the audit revealed that 15 of 28 ponds built for the Sungai Kerang aquaculture programme were not used, and the operations of the processing plant in Kamunting, Perak, was discontinued in August last year due to insufficient supply from the ponds.
Also in Perak, 105 out of 140 white shrimp ponds in Selinsing and 161 out of 168 in Pulau Gula were not in use.
The audit also remarked on non-compliance of the terms of agreement between the anchor companies and the NCIA.
“Ownership of five boats worth RM1.15mil, which were financed by NCIA, were not transferred to them, and the RM900,000 insurance on facilities and equiment did not meet the terms of agreement.-thestar
