Act on AG’s report, public sector heads told

PUTRAJAYA: Secretaries general and heads of departments in the public sector are reminded to take seriously all remarks made in the Auditor-General’s Report involving their respective ministries and agencies in an effort to reduce wastages, leakages and abuse of power.

Director-General of Public Service Datuk Dr Zulkapli Mohamed said the move was also an effort towards upholding the public service’s integrity and accountability.

“They (secretaries general and department heads) are also asked to be prepared for any remarks (in the report) that will be tabled in Parliament next month.

“As control officers at their respective ministries and agencies, integrity must be a top priority,” he said in a statement issued yesterday in conjunction with the Integrity Empowerment Conference organised by the Public Service Department (PSD) on Sept 27.

According to Zulkapli, civil servants are responsible for ensuring that each member of the organisation understands and appreciates honesty and trust in order for these virtues to be reflected in every action taken.

He said all civil servants must adhere to the value of integrity in an effort to empower the country’s economic development as outlined in the Madani Economy framework.

“All of us will not compromise on the issue of integrity,” he said.

Zulkapli said that with a strong commitment to avoiding corruption and abuse of power through integrity, civil servants can bolster Malaysia’s status as a dignified and respected developed nation on the global stage.

Meanwhile, the inaugural Integrity Empowerment Conference was held with the theme “Membudaya Integriti, Memperteguh Malaysia Madani”.

It was held, among other things, to provide a platform for people to exchange views, find the best way to improve governance aspects in the implementation of the functions and responsibilities of ministries, departments, and agencies, and discuss various issues related to audit findings and improvement measures. —BK