MIRI: The State Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is committed to ensuring taxpayers’ money is spent prudently and achieves the desired goals.
PAC chairman Razaili Gapor said following the presentation of the Auditor General’s report for 2019 (Series 1) on Feb 14 last year, the committee had decided to examine all the issues raised in it.
He said the committee also planned to go to the ground and visit at least one development project in Sarawak this year.
“The construction project of the Biovalley Park in Miri division is one of the projects that we will focus on for the site visit this time.
“This project is in line with the National Biovalley Plan to meet the needs of biotechnology and it has potential to develop products based on the state’s biodiversity resources,” he said.
According to a news report by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (UKAS), Razaili visited the construction site together with Batu Kitang assemblyman Lo Khere Chiang, Batu Lintang assemblyman See Chee How, Pelagus assemblyman Wilson Nyabong Ijang, Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh, Meluan assemblyman Rolland Duat, Kabong assemblyman Mohd Chee Kadir and others yesterday.
Razaili stated that the report found there were several weaknesses in the project.
“The Audit concluded that the construction objective for this project had not been fully achieved because it had not started operations until December 2019 even though the project was certified as completed on May 18 in 2017.
“With the new management and briefing given by the management of Sarawak Biovalley Pilot Plant (SBPP) owned by the Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC), the PAC committee members are satisfied with the long-term planning and achievement of the plan,” he said.
In addition to the briefing by Biovalley Park, a group of PAC committee members were present for a visit to the site and inspected the existing plans.
There are several research projects in the pipeline that have attracted the attention of PAC members including projects to produce animal feed from palm oil waste, protein replacement and protein extraction from algae.
