Auditor-General Report: Time to Plug All Loopholes

By Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Member of the Integrity Institute of Malaysia

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KOTA KINABALU: Year in and year out, the Auditor-General highlights cases of malfeasance by officials in ministries, departments, agencies, and government-linked companies, but no action seems to be taken to prevent such occurrences.

These result in staggering losses of taxpayers ’money.

In the latest report, the Auditor-General has made 64 recommendations for implementation by the errant parties, but it remains to be seen how many of them will be implemented.

Has there been an audit of all the previous year’s ‘recommendations to ascertain how many of them have been enforced?

Are the yearly losses due to poor governance, planning, negligence, oversight, corruption, or ineptitude?

In monetary terms, accumulated deficits have amounted to billions of ringgit.

With just RM1 billion, the government could have built 10,000 low-cost houses for the B40 group or provided better facilities to our hospitals to improve the quality of life for the people.

It is high time that we plug all loopholes and inject a sense of responsibility into those entrusted with the duty to serve the people.

Since traditional checks and balances have failed to produce the desired results, perhaps we should now employ some out-of-the-box solutions for this recurring problem.

We could introduce a whistleblower incentive programme, coupled with financial incentives for reporting misconduct. This could encourage insiders to come forward with information on malfeasance.

We could implement advanced data analytics tools to detect patterns of fraudulent activity early on. By leveraging predictive modelling, agencies can proactively identify and address potential issues before they escalate.

We could implement a policy mandating regular rotations of leadership positions within government agencies. This could help prevent the development of entrenched power structures that might contribute to malfeasance.

We could establish an Independent Oversight Commission composed of experts from various fields to oversee government operations and provide recommendations for improvement.

Instead of relying on an annual Auditor-General’s report, could we not have half-yearly or even quarterly reports? This will ensure swift remedial action that is timely.

Currently, we seem to be only closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.

These unconventional approaches, alongside traditional measures such as stricter enforcement mechanisms, reward and punishment, and enhanced training on ethics and governance, could help break the cycle of malfeasance and foster a culture of accountability within government institutions.

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