KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Prolonged suspension of allowances and facilities payments from the Light Dues Fund (KWDA) could have operational implications, particularly for navigation safety management in the Straits of Malacca, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said.
He said this could affect critical operations such as the Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), Vessel Traffic Management Information System (VTMIS), Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (PUSKAU) and Maritime Operations Centre (PUSKOM), all of which operate around the clock on a shift basis.
“It also includes navigation safety management and the maintenance of aids to navigation in the Straits of Malacca, which is traversed by more than 100,000 vessels,” he said when winding up the debate on the Auditor-General’s Report (LKAN) 2/2026 for the ministry in the Dewan Rakyat today.
According to LKAN 2/2026, RM2.55 million from the KWDA and the Marine Trading Central Fund (KWPPL) was spent on allowances and facilities in 2025 without valid legal authority.
Of this amount, RM2.31 million involved KWDA funds paid as allowances and facilities to the KWDA Board and officers of the Marine Department Malaysia (JLM).
In this regard, the National Audit Department (JAN) recommended that the payment of allowances and facilities from the two trust accounts be stopped immediately until the legal interpretation and financial procedures were finalised.
Hasbi said the suspension could also affect strategic projects, such as the strengthening or reconstruction of the Tompok Utara Lighthouse, for which the Lighthouse Board had agreed to allocate RM23.5 million to the National Security Council (MKN).
From the legal perspective, he said although the Federal Light Dues Act 1953 (Act 250) did not expressly provide for the payment of allowances to the chairman and members of the Lighthouse Board, there was a basis to consider expenditure directly related to the board’s statutory functions.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh, when winding up the debate on the LKAN report for his ministry, said firm action had been taken over the recovery of arrears involving Contractors’ Advance Payments (WPK), including referring the matter to legal advisers.
He said the Education Ministry had submitted proof-of-debt forms to the Insolvency Department of Malaysia (MdI) for 10 of the 11 wound-up companies, involving RM20.79 million.
For two active companies with outstanding arrears totalling RM5.43 million, he said notices of termination had been issued, and they could face civil action or Letters of Demand (LODs) if there were breaches of contract terms.
The Audit Department, in LKAN 2/2026, reported that RM68.81 million in outstanding receivables involving WPK from five ministries remained uncollected as at Dec 31 last year, involving 24 projects under the Education Ministry, Transport Ministry, Defence Ministry, Home Ministry and Works Ministry.
-- BERNAMA