Latest news with #Auditor-General
The Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Dewan Rakyat approves Auditor-General's Report 2/2025
KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat today approved the Auditor-General's Report (LKAN) 2/2025 on the Activities of Ministries/Departments/Statutory Bodies/Federal Government Companies, which contains matters raised from audits on five programmes, activities, and projects across seven ministries. The motion on it, tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, was passed by a majority voice vote after being debated by 32 Members of Parliament. Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran, when winding up debate for the department, clarified that the Auditor-General may be appointed from among public service officers. 'For the information of Honourable Members, Clause 1 of Article 105 of the Federal Constitution provides that the Auditor-General shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) on the advice of the Prime Minister after consultation with the Conference of Rulers. 'Referring to Article 105 read together with subparagraph 1(1) of the First Schedule to the Audit Act 1957 (Act 62), the Auditor-General may be appointed from among members of the public service, and such appointment is valid,' he said. Kulasegaran was responding to Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan (PN-Kota Bharu), who had questioned the appointment of Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi as Auditor-General while she was still serving in the civil service. Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, during his winding-up speech for his ministry, said continuous improvements were being undertaken following LKAN's investigation into procurement management at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). He said that since February 28, several measures have been taken to align with the Higher Education Strategic Direction 2025, including encouraging the Internal Audit Committee to take follow-up action after discovering that several procurement circulars previously used were outdated. 'For example, UKM was still referring to Treasury Procurement Circular 2.0 when it had already been updated to version 2.2. The Pre-Tender and Coordination Committees have also been dissolved, effectively ending their functions,' he said. Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang, while responding on behalf of her ministry, said it had taken note of LKAN 2/2025's criticisms concerning FELCRA Berhad's oil palm estate performance. She explained that plantation yields could only be seen progressively, with three out of four estates having shown increased output and profits, including Estet Telupid in Sabah, and Sungai Rawit 2 and Aring estates in Kelantan. 'However, the current performance of one estate, Estet Dabong, has yet to reach the targeted level. This must be understood in light of unexpected factors, such as a shortage of skilled plantation workers and extreme weather affecting harvesting operations. 'Nevertheless, FELCRA has taken proactive measures, including increasing the number of harvesters and progressively repairing agricultural roads. Recovery efforts are expected to yield more positive results moving forward,' she said. During the winding-up session for the Ministry of Works, its minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the contractor selection process for Phase 1B of the Pan Borneo Sabah Highway Project was carried out through a selective pre-qualification open tender. He said this approach was vital to ensure that only companies with proven technical, financial, and experience capacity were awarded the large-scale, high-impact project. Nanta also acknowledged other challenges, including delays in land acquisition, utility relocation, and shortages of labour and construction materials, which had impacted project timelines. However, he said the ministry had taken improvement measures through engagements with relevant agencies. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, during the winding-up for his ministry, said that all comments and criticisms, including on procurement management, would be taken into account. The Dewan sits again today. - Bernama
The Star
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Auditor-General's Report: RM48.873bil is total cost of audits, not leakages or losses, says Wan Suraya
PUTRAJAYA: The 2025 Auditor-General's Report (LKAN) Series 2 on the activities of ministries, departments, statutory bodies and federal government-owned companies contains matters raised from the audit of five programmes, activities or projects across seven ministries. Auditor-General Datuk Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi said the total cost of the audited programmes, activities and projects amounted to RM48.873bil, and this amount does not represent any leakages or losses, as reported by several media portals. "Such statements have the potential to create confusion and unfounded negative perceptions of the country's financial management,' she said in a statement on Tuesday (July 22). She said the scope of this audit generally takes into account the performance of programmes, projects and activities that have been implemented over several previous years (legacy issues), as well as any efforts or initiatives introduced by the government. Accordingly, each finding presented in this report is accompanied by constructive recommendations aimed at helping ministries and government departments and agencies enhance operational efficiency and strengthen internal systems and compliance, she added. Wan Suraya said a total of 44 issues reported in the LKAN have been uploaded to the Auditor-General's Dashboard (AGD) on Monday for follow-up action by the relevant ministries and departments. "These same issues will also be discussed at the Auditor-General's Report Follow-Up Committee (JSLKAN) and the Serious Irregularities Action Committee (JTKS) meetings, which are jointly chaired by the Auditor-General and the Secretary-General of the Treasury,' she said. For the period from 2024 to June 2025, she added that audits conducted by the National Audit Department have successfully helped the government recover RM157.73mil. "This includes collections from penalty claims, outstanding rental, liquidated ascertained damages (LAD), land lease arrears, as well as the collection of duties and taxes,' she said, adding that the report will be debated in the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow. The public is advised to refer to the Auditor-General's Report, officially published on the National Audit Department's website at to obtain an accurate and comprehensive understanding of the audit findings presented. - Bernama
Barnama
26-06-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Improvements In Public Sector Auditing Among Main Agenda At WGFA Meeting
GEORGE TOWN, June 26 (Bernama) -- Continuous improvement in public sector auditing is among the main agenda to be discussed at the ongoing inaugural meeting of the Working Group on Follow-up Audit (WGFA) here. In a statement, the National Audit Department said the two-day meeting, chaired by Malaysia, marks the first gathering of the newly established WGFA under the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). Other key agenda items include the finalisation of the Terms of Reference for the WGFA, which will serve as a guiding framework for the working group's direction and operations, aimed at enhancing accountability and promoting continuous improvement in public sector auditing. bootstrap slideshow Participants will also share best practices in audit follow-up procedures, with Malaysia presenting its Auditor-General Dashboard, which tracks all issues raised in the Auditor-General's Reports and ensures active monitoring until they are fully resolved. 'As of 2024, a total of RM157.73 million in public funds have been recovered as a result of audit follow-ups conducted at the federal and state levels,' the statement noted. Looking ahead, the statement said the WGFA 2025-2028 Work Plan includes long-term initiatives to develop Best Practice Guidelines for audit follow-ups, in collaboration with INTOSAI member countries. The group will also explore the need for specialised training and capacity-building programmes to enhance the quality and impact of follow-up audits in each member country. Malaysia's Auditor-General Datuk Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi presided over the meeting, which gathered 71 participants from 43 Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) around the world. In her opening remarks as Chair of the INTOSAI WGFA, Wan Suraya emphasised that Malaysia's leadership of the group reflects the global commitment to a dynamic, structured, and high-impact collaborative audit framework.
Daily Maverick
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Municipal waste failures undermine South Africans' right to a healthy environment, committee told
Municipal failures in waste management are threatening South Africans' constitutional rights to a healthy environment, the parliamentary committee on environment, forestry and fisheries has been told. Parliamentary briefings from the eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay municipalities have revealed persistent illegal dumping, inadequate infrastructure and severe funding shortfalls. As a result, the parliamentary committee on environment, forestry and fisheries called on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, for urgent oversight and accountability as both cities struggle to implement waste plans and curb rising public dissatisfaction. Municipal failures in waste management across the country are undermining citizens' constitutional rights to an environment that does not harm their health or wellbeing. The committee was briefed by the two municipalities on their waste management, including the state of landfill sites. The committee initiated briefings on waste management in various metropolitan municipalities because of rising public dissatisfaction with litter and waste services. This was because, as stated by committee chairperson Nqabisa Gontsho (ANC), many metropolitan municipalities have integrated waste management plans and bylaws that are not being implemented. She said this was evident in the persistent illegal dumping, inadequate waste infrastructure, waste fleet management, low waste diversion and slow progress on source separation. Gontsho said a report by the Auditor-General (AG) had exposed severe failures in waste management, ranging from unregulated landfill sites and settlements built on closed, unrehabilitated landfill sites, to poor fencing or noncompliance with landfill closure norms and standards. 'These municipal failures undermine citizens' constitutional rights to an environment that does not harm their health or wellbeing. To compound the waste management problem, there are weak inspections of landfill sites, with the AG in October last year indicating that the Eastern Cape has the lowest landfill site inspections at only 26%,' said Gontsho. She said the current state of waste management in the municipalities that the committee had interacted with, including eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay, indicated that opportunities for the circular economy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions were not being used. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and the South African Local Government Association have outlined how they support municipalities in improving waste management, but Gontsho said the outcomes on the ground showed less progress, or regression in some municipalities. This was why the committee had been calling for these briefings, for stronger oversight and accountability in tackling the growing waste crisis. Progress and pitfalls in eThekwini's waste management Waste management challenges identified in eThekwini Municipality. (Source: eThekwini Municipality) eThekwini Municipality's presentation to the committee painted a picture of a waste management system grappling with chronic challenges, incremental improvements, and an urgent need for systemic reform. While the municipality had made notable strides (in fleet renewal and operational upgrades), the underlying issues of financial sustainability, infrastructure bottlenecks, governance shortcomings and community resistance threatened the long-term viability of its solid waste services. Logan Moodley, deputy head of plant and engineering at eThekwini Municipality, said their mandate was to protect the environment and enhance the health of the communities of eThekwini by providing reasonable measures for the prevention of pollution. With Durban generating about 1.4 million tonnes of solid waste annually and a commendable 95% collection rate, the scale of the operation is undeniable. Yet, Moodley said only 15% of waste was segregated at source, and diversion from landfills remained 'scarce', a glaring deficiency in an era where circular economy principles and landfill minimisation were global best practices. The city's value chain remains heavily reliant on engineered landfill disposal, with little progress in upstream waste reduction or recycling initiatives. Moodley said that 'there is still a high dependency in the waste system for the use of landfill sites. Our landfill sites have been consumed by waste coming in, and that is seen from the waste statistics. Essentially, in KZN, eThekwini contributes some 9% of the total that's been recorded.' Two landfills out of four have been closed, Moodley said. When addressing its financial position, Moodley said the true cost of waste management outpaced revenue by a staggering 42% each year, a trajectory that was, by the municipality's admission, 'not sustainable'. Millions are being spent annually, with significant outlays on collection, plant and engineering, and refuse removal contractors. Despite efforts at cost containment and resource optimisation, the system seems structurally unbalanced, with the absence of alternative revenue streams or effective cost-recovery mechanisms. Moodley said there had been community protests against waste facility projects; business forums stopped capital projects; waste pickers 'interfere with safe operation of landfill sites'; there were security and enforcement challenges; and transfer stations upgrades/refurbishments were required due to landfill site closures. 'There have been issues of business forums stopping our main Shongweni landfill, and then the semi-closure of two out of the four landfills has created a domino effect of forcing waste to the transfer stations to handle larger volumes,' Moodley said. Without addressing the root causes of resistance, future infrastructure projects were likely to face similar obstacles. In addition, he said that separation at source was still at a very low level and needed assistance for improvement, meaning diversion from landfill was also 'poor', as Moodley put it. After analysing the problem, Moodley said they decided to take a 'conscious way forward' by dealing with the easiest things first and the immediate focus areas — such as municipal systems that could ensure that waste was collected on time and taken for safe disposal. 'We are focusing on the easy wins, particularly in gated communities, etc, and bringing that through in our development planning, such that we put through a requirement linked to the development plans, as well as the waste management bylaw that has to separate your waste in two different streams or three different streams,' Moodley said. The municipality has implemented several short-term interventions, including round balancing of refuse collection, a new fleet management app and upgrades to depots and transfer stations. These have contributed to improved service reliability and operational monitoring. Looking ahead, the municipality's priorities include a review of its business and financial models, a revamp of informal settlement waste collection, mainstreaming waste diversion and further process optimisation. But success will depend on overcoming entrenched institutional inertia, securing stable funding and rebuilding trust with affected communities. Nelson Mandela Bay at a waste management crossroads Meanwhile, as Nelson Mandela Bay grows and waste volumes increase, the municipality's ability to deliver hinges on overcoming acute operational and financial constraints. Simthembile Mbande from Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality briefed the committee and said major issues they continued to face were: illegal dumping; the need for more law enforcement and education staff; insufficient budget to replace the municipal waste fleet and comply with landfill regulations; and a lack of funding for refuse receptacles and waste minimisation initiatives. 'The biggest area that we are grappling with is when it comes to illegal dumping. This service is not directly paid for, so whenever someone has, for argument's sake, not woken up in the morning to get their [garbage] collected on the refuse removal day, they can easily dump it, and it becomes a municipal issue now to clean it up,' he said. What they had proposed as part of refining the municipality's tariff policies, Mbande said, was to find a way to take some sort of funding, 'even if it's nominal, from various households in order to ensure that there is reasonably adequate funding for us to keep our areas clean on a service that is not directly paid for'. EFF MP Nazier Paulsen commented that the committee should be alarmed that there was little for the directorate in terms of successes – 'it seems like a failed directorate'. 'They don't have money. There's no sign of any money coming into the directorate to address the task of waste management… This is a fairly small municipality, [catering for] 1.4 million compared to eThekwini that was 4.5 million [people]. Yet it struggles in many respects to address a very critical issue of waste management,' said Paulsen. He said they needed reports from the waste management directorate on what was being done to highlight the resource challenges, both physical and human, that it faced. 'We didn't get any idea as to what sort of programmes are being undertaken to look at or to implement a circular economy,' he said. The committee proposed rescheduling the response to further address these issues. DM
