PUTRAJAYA: Secretaries-general and department heads have been reminded to take the warnings contained in the Auditor-General's Report seriously to reduce issues of wastage, mismanagement and abuse of power.
Public Service Department director-general, Datuk Dr Zulkapli Mohamed, stated that this step is an effort to uphold the integrity and accountability of the civil service.
"They (secretaries-general and department heads) are also advised to be prepared for any warnings (in the audit report) that will be presented in parliament next month.
"As the guardians of each ministry and department, integrity is something that should be prioritised," he said in a statement today during the Integrity Empowerment Conference organised by the Public Service Department held on September 27.
Zulkapli said that public servants are responsible for ensuring that every individual in the organisation understands and embraces honesty and trustworthiness so that these core values are reflected in every action taken.
He said, adhering to the principle of 'trust uplifted, integrity upheld, honesty embodied,' all public servants should uphold the values of integrity in efforts to strengthen economic development as outlined in the Madani Economy framework.
"We will not compromise on integrity issues," he said.
Zulkapli added that with a strong commitment to combating corruption and abuse of power through integrity, public servants can elevate Malaysia as a dignified and respected advanced nation on the international stage.
This conference is the first of its kind with the theme 'Cultivating Integrity, Strengthening Malaysia Madani.
Among the objectives of the conference are to provide a platform for exchanging views, finding the best methods to improve governance aspects in the execution of the functions and responsibilities of ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as discussing various issues related to audit findings and improvement measures.