Chief Secretary says government procurement weaknesses are due to non-compliance with procedures, not system flaws, as MOF plans to tighten guidelines
PUTRAJAYA: Weaknesses in the government’s procurement process are largely due to non-compliance with established procedures, according to Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar (pic).
He stressed that irregularities were not solely the result of system shortcomings but were mainly caused by procurement board members and officers lacking a thorough understanding of the procedures and principles.
“The MOF has provided considerable flexibility in the procurement process, but it is still imperative that every procurement procedure is strictly adhered to,” he said after the KSN Media Strike Challenge 2026 with media practitioners.
Shamsul Azri said procurement cannot be arranged or manipulated at will, and irregularities occur when board members and officers fail to grasp the spirit of the procurement rules.
He attributed the weaknesses to a lack of understanding of procurement procedures and internal shortcomings among officers in appreciating the regulations’ objectives.
When asked if the issue stemmed from weak oversight or SOP shortcomings, he said it was a combination of several factors.
Therefore, the Ministry of Finance will further tighten procurement guidelines for all ministries and statutory bodies to prevent leakages.
Last Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said all procurement decisions involving the armed forces, police and related agencies linked to corruption issues were temporarily shelved pending full compliance.
He said the government would review and restructure all procurement processes to ensure transparency within the existing system.
Following the announcement, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said his ministry was seeking further information and clarification regarding the directive.
He added that the Ministry of Defence was also reviewing measures to enhance procurement processes, strengthen governance and prevent future leakages.
