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Civil Servants Still Ignoring AG's Report

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Civil Servants Still Ignoring AG's Report 22 mainstream FocusM | August 12-18, 2017 Number of unresolved issues (by ministry) Number of unresolved issues (by state) (Auditor General’s Report 2013 – 2015) (Auditor General’s Report 2013 – 2015) 2013 2014 2015 SerieS 1 2015 SerieS 2 TOTAL 2013 2014 2015 SerieS 1 2015 SerieS 2 TOTAL Prime Minister’s Department 0 9 2 28 39 Johor 3 33 11 45 92 Ministry of Higher Education 2 6 19 7 34 Kedah 4 8 12 41 65 Ministry of Transport 2 12 4 14 32 Sabah 4 20 7 27 58 Ministry of Rural and Regional Development 0 1 2 25 28 Perlis 4 11 2 24 41 Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry 0 4 0 24 28 Selangor 0 8 11 21 40 Ministry of Home Affairs 0 0 1 14 15 Pahang 7 12 10 10 39 Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment 0 0 0 12 12 Kelantan 0 7 5 19 31 Ministry of Federal Territories 0 0 0 8 8 Sarawak 0 3 14 14 31 Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water 0 0 1 7 8 Penang 0 2 12 15 29 Ministry of Education Malaysia 2 0 2 2 6 Melaka 0 4 6 12 22 Other ministries 0 8 8 2 18 Terengganu 1 4 1 15 21 Total 6 40 39 143 228 Perak 0 3 1 10 14 Source: National Audit Department Negeri Sembilan 0 0 0 5 5 Total 23 115 92 258 488 Source: National Audit Department DD HOE/FOCUSM government, and the remaining 32 for federal statutory bodies. Civil servants The second series of the 2015 report, in turn, had 247 recom- mendations. Of this, 149 were for state governments while 68 per- still ignoring tained to the federal government. The 2016 report has 353 recommendations. Of this, 244 were for state government departments and agencies, AG’s report representing 70% of the total recommendations. Growing weaknesses Now that the recommendations • Former AG Tan Sri Ambrin Buang has called “Recommend “Government are increasing, what instruments for the National Audit Department to be are or should be in place to punishment and will form prevent the organisations from given more power overpaying for a set of screwdriv- monitor follow investigative ers with taxpayers’ money? • Hundreds of recommendations made in up action.” – committees The increasing recommen- AG’s report each year, but few are punished dations merely reflect growing for mismanaging taxpayers’ money Ramon to probe the weaknesses, exposing more loop- outcome holes in the system being abused by the unscrupulous and corrupt. power among the civil service. excesses mentioned in the latest of punitive Meanwhile, more are seen “Civil servants holding key AG report. warnings.” going unpunished over the decision making positions are The NAD’s recommendations mismanagement of taxpayers’ by encouraged to undergo psy- have not been taken seriously as – Ali Hamsa money. Ng Wai Mun chometric tests for honesty and the overall audit observations Centre for Research, Advi- integrity. of the past two years are almost sory and Technology (Create) HE latest Auditor-Gen- “The tests can identify an similar. will look into the discrepancies CEO Ng Yeen Seen says: “It is eral’s Report 2016 Series individual’s tendency to be honest The respective reports of the mentioned in the report. important that we continue to 1 showcases gross mis- and consistent with regards to past two years say that, “there “Not all the issues raised con- create an environment to prevent management in several actions, values and principles, were several weaknesses in the cern corruption. Those relating to corruption. ministries. and assess the individual’s pro- implementation of programmes/ negligence will be sent for further “Any corrupt practices should TBut this is only a tip of the pensity to become involved in activities/projects due to a lack action to the relevant ministry continue to be released in public iceberg as the report contains counter-productive behaviour,” of monitoring/supervision by or department. For some years reports like the AG’s. audits of only 25 federal minis- he says. responsible parties, insufficient now, we have been making policy “Expectations of the AG’s tries, 18 federal departments and technical expertise and too much changes to address the issues report should be high because 38 federal statutory bodies. More powers reliance on consultants/con- raised,” he tells FocusM. taxpayers expect the highest Over the last decade, billions However, some have called for tractors, no coordination among Meanwhile, Centre for Public levels of integrity and accounta- of ringgit are said to have been the National Audit Department agencies involved and internal Policy Studies chairman Tan Sri bility in the public sector.” lost due to poor procurement (NAD) to be given more powers issues faced by contractors”. Ramon Navaratnam feels the Ng questions if anything is and fraud. to address the problem. Minister in the Prime Minister NAD should name, shame and done after the release of the AG’s As newly appointed Audi- Last week, the Malaysian Department Datuk Paul Low says punish all those who do not follow report each year. tor-General (AG) Tan Sri Dr Anti-Corruption Commission a newly formed Department of recommendations. She says this is the question Madinah Mohamad put it recently, (MACC) said it was setting up Governance and Integrity under “Recommend punishment most people are asking. And her latest report “contained find- a special team to look into the his ministry and the AG’s office and monitor follow up action,” although the Public Accounts ings on negligence, indiscipline, he says. Committee (PAC) will take on misappropriation, power abuse, From 100 recommendations the recommendations from the corruption and misconduct made to rectify weaknesses high- AG’s report and carry out inves- among civil servants”. lighted in the Auditor General’s tigations, red flags continue to be Strong words, but will it make Report in 2013, the total number highlighted in the reports. any difference to awaken those has been increasing at earth This, she says, gives the public responsible for such wayward shattering pace. the perception that audit reports conduct? There were 241 recommenda- are merely procedural and don’t The president and CEO of the tions made in the second series of mean much. Malaysian Institute of Integrity the 2014 report followed by 268 “Many ask if nothing can Datuk Dr Anis Yusal Yusoff says recommendations in the third be done nothing gets done, or the introduction of the Malaysian series for the same year. nothing is meant to be done, then Integrity Profile by INTEGRITI Of the 268 recommenda- why expand so many resources to was among efforts to help weed tions, 134 or 50% were for state audit and release such reports? out corruption and abuse of governments, 102 for the federal Continues P.24 24 mainstream FocusM | August 12-18, 2017 Red flags continue to be highlighted Notable cases of From P.22 mismanagement “We must take the report seri- ously. PAC must follow through with its investigation and the fraudsters should be punished to maintain MINISTRY OF RURAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT public service integrity. The Desa Lestari Programme “Repeat offenders only exist N audit conducted between December last year and March revealed that because we keep them in the system,” the implementation of the Desa Lestari Programme was less than Ng says. Asatisfactory due to inefficient project execution, poor monitoring and Unless all the ambiguities or administration of contracts. wrongdoings are addressed and This still occurs despite the fact that the programme was launched over three the government shows no mercy years ago. to fraudsters in the public service, Some areas which were identified and require attention include excess she says the audit report will not allocation amounting to RM16 mil which was transferred to agencies under the receive the people’s rightful trust ministry. and confidence. The procurement of stingless bees amounting to RM4.56 mil was conducted via direct negotiation without the ministry’s approval. Committees formed Nineteen projects worth RM5.3 mil in 12 cooperative societies were Chief Secretary to the Government Repeat offenders unsuccessful and abandoned. Tan Sri Ali Hamsa says the gov- exist because The audit also found procurements amounting to RM2 mil were intentionally ernment will form 26 Investigative divided into six quotations primarily to avoid the tendering process. Committees to probe 103 punitive society keeps The Desa Lestari Programme was launched in 2013 to give the rural areas a warnings, including 60 at ministerial makeover and turn them into developed ones. level and 43 at the state level. them in the The objective of the transformation is to empower the communities with Of the 26 committees, he says system.” – Ng the ability to plan and implement development projects via enhanced economic 14 will be asked to investigate the activities. outcome of 60 punitive warnings Eighty villages were provided with allocations totalling RM114.7 mil as at the involving 11 ministries. of unresolved issues to exceed 100. end of last year. At the state level, Ali says 43 puni- The NAD says among the various The Implementation of the Desa Lestari Programme Guidelines, as issued tive warnings were issued to 12 state ministries, six issues arising from by the ministry in May 2013 and April 2015, was to be used by the agencies and governments – Johor, Malacca, Negri the 2013 report were still unresolved, cooperative societies for related procurement. Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Penang, followed by 40 issues from the 2014 From what has happened, the guidelines are obviously ignored. Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, report (see tables). The National Audit Department recommends that the sustainability of the and Sabah.
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