RM224 Screwdriver is OK!

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has cleared all parties involved in the procurement of the screwdrivers that were allegedly made at inflated prices by the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN).

The Auditor-General said the ministry paid RM8.39mil more than the market price for the items, including RM224 for a set of four screwdrivers (costing RM32 in the market).

ACA director-general Datuk Ahmad Said Hamdan said the supplier of the Draper screwdrivers took into account that they were imported and came with a guarantee of authenticity and quality. “Our survey from other suppliers showed that Draper screwdrivers, of different sizes, were imported with a guarantee of between RM20 and RM40 for each screwdriver, depending on the currency exchange at the time of purchase.

“The price is thus reasonable, taking into the account the costs of bringing in the screwdrivers and the assurance of quality,” Ahmad Said Hamdan said. He said the agency found the price of the screwdrivers reasonable, “considering that these screwdrivers were not those manufactured in China”.

So, ACA said it's reasonable to pay RM224 for a set of screwdriver because it is authentic and were imported.

If the Ministry wants to buy Maggie Mee, and bought them from UK or Europe at RM200, it should also be okay if that Maggie Mee comes with a piece of paper saying it is authentic and imported.

But why do you need to import a draper screwdriver when you can get them at the local hardware shops which also has a piece of paper that says it's authentic and it's imported?

So, if we need Fabercastell pen or pencil or highlighters, do we need to buy from the factory in Italy or France or Swiss?

It's just hard to swallow the justification of reasonableness... pragmatism and realism do not exist in a society that are bounded by exclusive mental blockades and bulimic system.