KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will cooperate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) following reports of fund mismanagement, apart from continuing reform measures that were initiated last year.
In a statement, MCMC said it took serious note of the findings and recommendations raised in the latest edition of Auditor General’s Report 2018 Series 1, that had highlighted mismanagement of its RM13 million fund.
MCMC reiterated that it would not tolerate misconduct by its officers and would extend full cooperation with the MACC in its probe.
“The report revealed that under the previous minister’s helm, the approval for projects was not implemented transparently as the funds were released without a clear basis.
“This has breached the requirements under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission Act 1998.
“As a regulator responsible for the communications and multimedia industry in Malaysia, MCMC adheres to its integrity values and is confident in improving performance to successfully develop a world-class communications and multimedia industry.”
The statement also revealed MCMC which is under the purview of Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh, had implemented initiatives to reform and improve existing procedures and governance since May last year.
It highlighted four steps to reform and improve the management of the MCMC fund. They are:
* Measures to halt all MCMC’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes, revising financial authority limit, terminating subcommittees previously granted the responsibility in approving matter to the MCMC fund and enhancing standard operating procedures on approvals;
* Updating existing guidelines on financial authority limit to ensure that every approval involving MCMC’s finances are approved by those who are authorised and mandated to approve.
* Dissolution of subcommittees previously entrusted to approve matters closely related to the usage of the MCMC Fund, whereby those items (subject to the updated financial authority limit) would be extended to Commission Members for assessment and approval.
* Standard operating procedures for any approval is enhanced whereby each project, arising matters and every item that needs approval from the management are presented, discussed and, or approved in MCMC’s Management Committee Meeting before it is presented to Commission Members.
On July 15, in the publication of Auditor-General’s Report 2018 Series 1, it found that MCMC under the previous Barisan Nasional government had spent nearly RM13 million on special projects unrelated to its job scope for over two years.
It said some RM12.81 million was spent from 2016 up until April 2018, a month before the 14th general election.