Cabinet to receive Auditor-General’s report as well

KUALA LUMPUR: The Auditor-General’s report will be presented to the Cabinet for the first time so government agencies can resolve issues related to public expenditure.

Auditor-General Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi said this would be a new approach taken by the National Audit Department to allow the government to immediately address shortcomings in federal financial management.

The National Audit Department tables two or three reports in Parliament each year, which is further scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The PAC will then issue recommendations to the respective ministries to remedy any weaknesses.

“We will be presenting the Auditor-General’s Report to the Cabinet periodically so that the government can better resolve the issues,” Wan Suraya said after a Dewan Rakyat sitting on Tuesday (Oct 10).

She added that any audit certification given by Federal and state auditing agencies would be closely monitored through the Auditor-General’s Dashboard (AGD) online platform.

Wan Suraya said the Auditor-General’s Report 2022 has shown better financial performance compared to previous years as of Dec 31 last year.

She also advised the government to improve discipline in government expenditure, enhance efforts to generate more income and be mindful of repaying government debts.

“All government funds should be spent on physical and non-physical projects enshrined in the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) while all items in the government’s financial statement should be aligned with account audits that were made.

“The Attorney-General has given 24 recommendations to Federal ministries and agencies as well as 121 recommendations to state departments and agencies to improve their finances,” she said.

On a similar note, Wan Suraya said the Auditor-General’s Department has audited 141 government-related financial statements and given them audit certificates as of Dec 31.

“All issues involving government agencies are uploaded in the AGD for public viewing,” she said.

Wan Suraya added she will be tabling 13 more Auditor-General’s reports in Parliament relating to the financial statements of state governments and respective agencies.

Any issues relating to the Auditor-General’s Report 2021 were uploaded to the AGD at 10.30am on Tuesday (Oct 10), she said.