Serious irregularities found in 2025 Auditor-General's Report
Governance weaknesses were identified in FELCRA Berhad's oil palm plantation leasing procurements, involving RM241.76 million from 2022 to 2024.
Auditor-General Datuk Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi highlighted flaws in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's (UKM) tender procurement process, involving RM58.45 million.
'Late penalty charges of RM162.75 million for the GEMPITA supply contract remain uncollected, while RM1.42 million in penalties were not imposed for maintenance services,' she said. Additionally, RM107.54 million in procurements were fragmented.
The subsidised cooking oil programme by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) also showed monitoring lapses, with no targeted allocation for eligible groups.
Wan Suraya urged KPDN to continue reducing quotas to curb leakages.
The Selective Pre-Q Procurement Method introduced by the Ministry of Finance was criticised for lacking transparency.
'Some companies failing initial evaluations were still selected at later stages,' she noted, recommending open tenders for accountability.
Five audits covering RM48.873 billion in programmes were reviewed, with 22 recommendations submitted.
The National Audit Department recovered RM157.73 million from 2024 to June 2025 through penalties and tax collections.
The report is accessible via http://lkan.audit.gov.my and https://agdashboard.audit.gov.my. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
29 minutes ago
- The Star
Malaysia taking cautious approach to New York Declaration on Palestine
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is adopting a cautious approach before endorsing the New York Declaration on Palestine, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan ( pic ). He said that this is due to some preconditions appearing inconsistent with the country's foreign policy. Speaking during ministerial replies in the Dewan Rakyat, the Foreign Minister stated that while Malaysia agrees with the overarching goal of the declaration—establishing an independent Palestinian state—some clauses are not aligned with the country's foreign policy principles. 'We agree with the objective, which is to realise a free and sovereign Palestinian state. But we are not entirely comfortable with the preconditions laid out in the New York Declaration. 'There are aspects we feel are not in line with Malaysia's foreign policy. So, we are being careful,' he told the Lower House on Thursday (August 7). The declaration was adopted on July 30 during a high-level international conference in New York, aiming to revive the two-state solution and push for lasting peace between Palestine and Israel. Among other points, the declaration calls for Hamas to disarm and hand over Gaza to the Palestinian Authority (PA), envisions a demilitarised Palestinian state under PA rule, and urges Israel to commit to a two-state solution, end occupation, and restore Palestinian institutional control. Mohamad emphasised that Malaysia's support for the Palestinian cause is unwavering and principled, not aligned to any specific political faction within Palestine. 'We support the rights of the Palestinian people—not any specific group—to establish their own state, govern themselves, and determine their own leadership,' he said, reaffirming Malaysia's long-standing position for a two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital. He said Malaysia has consistently rejected Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank, describing the actions of the Zionist regime as war crimes and crimes against humanity. 'They claim to be acting in self-defence. But how is the mass killing of women and children an act of defence? If it's about defending a nation, how many more must die to satisfy that narrative,' he asked. Mohamad also criticised the United Nations Security Council, condemning the use of veto powers to block resolutions that condemn Israeli violence. 'Malaysia has formally called for reforms at the Security Council. We want the veto power of permanent members to be limited, especially in cases involving genocide, war crimes, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.' The Foreign Minister said Malaysia is working with like-minded nations to push for structural changes at the UN, including broadening permanent representation to include members from Asia, Africa, and South America. He also announced that Malaysia is leading a new diplomatic coalition called The Hague Group, aimed at intensifying pressure for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and ensuring humanitarian access. 'Malaysia is at the core of this group. We are calling for an end to the forced displacement of 2.5 million Palestinians and the immediate opening of humanitarian corridors,' Mohamad said. He condemned the prolonged blockade on Gaza, noting that no aid trucks had entered through Jordan or Egypt in the past four and a half months, leading to widespread hunger and starvation. 'Israel is using food as a weapon of war. People are dying of starvation. Even when Gazans go to collect aid, they are shot at. We strongly condemn this cruelty,' he said.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Malaysia's semiconductor exports still exempted from retaliatory tariffs, says Tengku Zafrul
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's semiconductor exports to the United States remain exempt from retaliatory tariffs for now, says Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. The Investment, Trade and Industry Minister said the exemption remains in place at present, but it is subject to review and may be affected by future shifts in US trade policy. 'Currently, Malaysia's semiconductor exports to the US are not subjected to the retaliatory tariffs. However, this exemption is conditional and may change depending on the US government's evolving policies,' Tengku Zafrul told the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (Aug 7). He was responding to Lim Guan Eng (PH–Bagan), who asked about reports that US president Donald Trump had announced plans to impose 100% tariffs on semiconductors imported from countries that do not produce — or do not plan to produce — chips within the US and only companies that have invested in or are building chip-manufacturing facilities in the US would reportedly be exempt. 'This is a significant move that will undoubtedly affect major semiconductor-exporting countries like Malaysia,' Tengku Zafrul said. He said that in April, the US Department of Commerce launched an investigation under Section 232 of its Trade Expansion Act to determine whether imports of semiconductors, chip-making equipment and related products pose a threat to US national security. 'Although the report was initially expected by the end of December, we've learnt that the timeline has been expedited. 'Preliminary findings from this investigation may soon form the basis for future policy decisions — including the possibility of higher tariffs,' he said Tengku Zafrul stressed that the US government has yet to officially announce the mechanism for implementing the tariffs. 'Based on current information, the exemptions may not be based on countries, but on companies that invest directly in the US, regardless of where they are headquartered,' he said. As such, the impact on Malaysia would depend largely on the structure and investment strategies of multinational firms operating locally. Tengku Zafrul said Malaysia's electrical and electronics (E&E) exports to the US totalled RM119bil in 2024 — roughly 20% of the country's total E&E exports. Of that, semiconductors alone made up RM60.6bil, or about 20% of Malaysia's total semiconductor exports. He noted that 68% of Malaysia's semiconductor exports to the US came from American companies based in Malaysia. 'These companies employ around 72,000 skilled Malaysian workers and are supported by approximately 7,200 local suppliers, most of which are SMEs,' he said. He said the government is also ramping up outreach and engagement with key local exporters and players in the semiconductor supply chain, while encouraging companies to expand to alternative markets. 'Ultimately, we are committed to monitoring this development closely and negotiating proactively. 'We want a clear understanding of what the US defines as 'semiconductors' in this context, so our industry can prepare appropriately,' he said.
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
No special fund for rising agricultural input costs, says Mat Sabu
KUALA LUMPUR: There is currently no special fund to offset the rising costs of agricultural inputs as these price hikes are largely driven by external factors, says Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu. However, he said the government has taken steps to ease the financial burden on farmers, especially paddy growers, by ensuring the continued supply of essential inputs like fertilisers and pesticides. 'To help reduce the impact of higher production costs, we have reviewed the pricing structure of supply contracts under various support programmes,' he said in a written reply to Hulu Selangor MP Mohd Hasnizan Harun in the Dewan Rakyat. These programmes include the Federal Government Paddy Fertiliser Subsidy Programme (SBPKP), the Paddy Production Incentive Scheme (SIPP), and the Upland Paddy Fertiliser and Pesticide Subsidy Scheme (SBRPB). As part of these efforts, the government has increased the fertiliser subsidy by 25%, from RM2,552.20 to RM3,184.40 per hectare per season. At the same time, Mohamad Sabu said his ministry has applied for a higher pesticide allocation in the 2026 operating budget. The proposed rate is RM300 per hectare per season, up from the current RM200. The approval of this request, however, depends on the country's financial position. The minister also acknowledged concerns over rising input costs, including fertiliser, pesticides, and seeds, in recent years, noting that much of the raw materials used in their production are imported. 'This makes agricultural inputs vulnerable to global price changes and foreign exchange fluctuations, which in turn drives up farming costs and affects farmers' incomes,' he said.
