KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Datuk Ramli Md Nor has proposed expanding the authority of the Auditor General to allow direct reporting to the police or the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) when elements of crime are found in audit reports.
Ramli made the proposal after Syahredzan Johan (PH-Bangi) concluded his debate on the Auditor General's Report 2024 in Dewan Rakyat today.
Deputy Speaker: "YB Bangi is a PAC (Public Accounts Committee) member, correct?"
Syahredzan: "Yes."
Deputy Speaker: "Can we suggest that the Auditor General submit a report directly to the police or MACC if elements of crime are found, making it mandatory without having to wait for the respective ministry to act?"
Syahredzan: "I think this is a proposal worth considering. Sometimes when there is a red flag, certain parties may not want to make a report. Therefore, this proposal is worth considering, and the government should refine it to strengthen the country's audit institution."
Last week, Human Resources Minister Steven Sim instructed the ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud, and HRD Corp chief executive Datuk Shahul Dawood to lodge a report with the MACC regarding irregularities flagged in the Auditor General's Report.
The report highlighted that 3,726 people attended multiple skills training courses organised by HRD Corp under a Covid-19 stimulus package, costing RM51.69 million. Some individuals attended up to 16 courses, violating a Finance Ministry directive that a person could attend only one course.