PUTRAJAYA: The Special Task Force on Agency Reform (STAR) will look into the leakage and wastage of millions in public funds highlighted in the Auditor-General's Report 2021 Series 2.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali, who heads STAR, said such shortcoming in various ministries and agencies needed to be combatted holistically.
"We need to find ways to fix (the situation) and make it a guide for the future so that these (wastages and leakages) would not happen again.
"I will reveal more on it and STAR (soon). We (the government) have just discussed about STAR this morning.
"I will issue an official statement next week," he said after launching the Putrajaya Open Day 2023 at the Putrajaya Corporation today.
Apart from Zuki, STAR includes secretaries-general and directors-general from all agencies.
It will be assisted by a think tank and a technical team made up public service officers to formulate ideas and study the issues or problems affecting the people.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, while tabling the 2023 Budget recently, said STAR woud resolve outdated work culture, unreasonable regulations and time-consuming procedures in government service.
Anwar also told his Cabinet members to take seriously and scrutinise all remarks made in the report on the expenses, leakages and non-compliance of conditions and regulations of ministries.
He said it was vital to overcome the misconducts as despite recommendations to make things right, the same mistakes were being repeated each year.
Deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof also told the Dewan Rakyat that STAR would lead the initiative to reduce overcrowding at public hospitals and tackle the issue of dilapidated schools.