Government must act on Auditor-General's findings
These recurring weaknesses and shortcomings have been highlighted year after year, yet the same systemic failures persist with little accountability.
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New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Keris Strike exercise draws growing international interest, says army chief
LENGGONG: The Keris Strike Exercise, now in its 30th edition, continues to attract growing international attention, reflecting the success of Malaysia's long-standing multilateral military cooperation programme. Army Chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan said this year's exercise saw the participation of observer officers from Thailand and Japan. "This shows that after more than 30 years, the exercise continues to gain recognition and trust from our partner nations. "It also reflects growing international confidence in this joint training initiative. We aim to involve more countries as observers in the future," he said following the final assault and closing ceremony of the Keris Strike Exercise Series 30/2025 at Felda Lawin earlier today. The exercise featured a live-fire drill conducted at the Tanjung Hantu Firing Range yesterday, involving the Malaysian Army's ASTROS II Multiple Launch Rocket System and the U.S. Army's HIMARS system. Muhammad Hafizuddeain said the event was made more significant with the presence of Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, and Raja Permaisuri Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim. "It was a great honour for our armed forces to have Their Royal Highnesses witness the live-fire exercise. I'm fully satisfied with the level of readiness shown by the participating troops, especially during the final assault phase, which marked the climax of the exercise. We can confidently say the objectives of this joint training have been met," he said. He also addressed issues raised in the recent Auditor-General's Report (LKAN) 2/2025 regarding non-compliance in contract management, confirming that the National Audit Department is reviewing procedural lapses in one of the Army's earlier projects. "These will be rectified. Moving forward, we will be more vigilant and ensure contract managers pay closer attention to compliance and collection matters," he said. Last week, Auditor-General Datuk Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi revealed significant weaknesses in procurement and contract administration for Malaysian Army armoured vehicles between 2020 and 2023. One of the key findings was the government's failure to collect RM162.75 million in late delivery penalties from the main supplier of the 8×8 GEMPITA armoured vehicles, despite the contract ending in December 2022. – BERNAMA
Barnama
6 hours ago
- Barnama
Keris Strike Exercise Draws Growing International Interest, Says Army Chief
LENGGONG, July 29 (Bernama) -- The Keris Strike Exercise, now in its 30th edition, continues to attract growing international attention, reflecting the success of Malaysia's long-standing multilateral military cooperation programme. Army Chief General Tan Sri Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan said this year's exercise saw the participation of observer officers from Thailand and Japan. 'This shows that after more than 30 years, the exercise continues to gain recognition and trust from our partner nations. 'It also reflects growing international confidence in this joint training initiative. We aim to involve more countries as observers in the future,' he said following the final assault and closing ceremony of the Keris Strike Exercise Series 30/2025 at Felda Lawin earlier today. The exercise featured a live-fire drill conducted at the Tanjung Hantu Firing Range yesterday, involving the Malaysian Army's ASTROS II Multiple Launch Rocket System and the U.S. Army's HIMARS system. Muhammad Hafizuddeain said the event was made more significant with the presence of Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, and Raja Permaisuri Perak, Tuanku Zara Salim. 'It was a great honour for our armed forces to have Their Royal Highnesses witness the live-fire exercise. I'm fully satisfied with the level of readiness shown by the participating troops, especially during the final assault phase, which marked the climax of the exercise. We can confidently say the objectives of this joint training have been met,' he said. He also addressed issues raised in the recent Auditor-General's Report (LKAN) 2/2025 regarding non-compliance in contract management, confirming that the National Audit Department is reviewing procedural lapses in one of the Army's earlier projects. 'These will be rectified. Moving forward, we will be more vigilant and ensure contract managers pay closer attention to compliance and collection matters,' he said.
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Auditor-General's Report exposes entrenched weaknesses in public sector governance, says Lam Thye
KUALA LUMPUR: Urgent and decisive actions are needed in response to the latest Auditor-General's Report, which once again exposes entrenched weaknesses in public sector governance, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye. The social activist said the recurring issues of financial mismanagement, procurement irregularities, and non-compliance with procedures revealed a "troubling culture of negligence and impunity" within certain government agencies. 'The same systemic failures keep surfacing year after year, and yet we continue to see a lack of accountability. "These are not just technical lapses. They point to deeper problems in the way public resources are handled," he said when contacted on Saturday (July 26). The Auditor-General's Report, tabled in Parliament earlier this week, outlined multiple instances of overpayments, delays in project implementation, and procurement without proper documentation — findings that have become all too familiar to the Malaysian public. Lee criticised the apparent lack of transparency and integrity among some officials, stressing that the government must move beyond merely acknowledging the report's findings and instead act firmly to rectify the problem. He said civil servants found guilty of misconduct or serious breaches should face swift disciplinary action or be prosecuted. "Without real consequences, we will never see deterrence," he added. He also called for internal audit units to be made independent and empowered to conduct real-time monitoring rather than just post-mortem audits. "A publicly accessible online dashboard should be introduced to track government procurement and project implementation. 'Let the public hold officials accountable," he said. Lee said high-risk departments must undergo regular integrity checks to identify and prevent corruption early. "The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) should be given broader powers, including the ability to summon not just civil servants but ministers if necessary. 'It is unacceptable that while taxpayers are fulfilling their obligations, those entrusted with managing public funds continue to act carelessly or worse, dishonestly," he said. He added that Parliament must play a more active role in enforcing accountability, rather than merely observing proceedings.
