Dewan Rakyat approves Auditor-General's Report 2/2025
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Audit Committee to take follow-up action after discovering that several procurement circulars previously used were outdated.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
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Borneo Post
9 hours ago
- Borneo Post
TYT Sarawak honoured by inaugural bencher recognition from nation's legal fraternity
Wan Junaidi accepts the plaque from ICM president Tun Arifin Zakaria (right), witnessed by ICM Exco Sarawak Tan Kee Heng, who is also the event's organising chairman. — Information Department photo KUCHING (Aug 3): Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar has been formally inducted as the first Honorary Bencher of the Inns of Court Malaysia (ICM). The recognition signifies his contributions to the legal fraternity in the country. 'Thank you to all of those who are involved in giving me this honour of being the first bencher for the ICM. 'I feel humbled by the recognition that you gave me,' he said in his special address delivered during the ICM Grand Dining 2025, held in conjunction with the inaugural benching ceremony at a hotel here on Saturday night. Adding on, Wan Junaidi reflected on his time in public office, particularly his 13-month tenure as Minister in Prime Minister's Department in charge of Parliament and law, during which he successfully amended the Federal Constitution three times – a feat he described as 'unprecedented'. 'It never before been done. 'It was historical in a sense because the law that I brought to Parliament would require amending the Constitution to make it effective,' he said. Among the amendments was the enactment of the anti-defection law, also known as the 'Anti-Hopping Law'. In this regard, Wan Junaidi said he had insisted that the provision be embedded in the Federal Constitution to ensure its legal permanence and resistance to political changes. 'Even though the government actually proposed that it must be the Act of Parliament, I wanted it to be more permanent in a sense, so it could not be amended by a simple majority in Parliament. 'So I advised the government that I must amend the constitution so that it would require the two-thirds majority under Article 159.' Under Article 159(3) of the Federal Constitution, any Bill seeking to amend the Constitution – unless specifically exempted – must be passed in both the Dewan Rakyat (Lower House) and Dewan Negara (Upper House, or Senate) with the support of not less than two-thirds of the total number of members. The second amendment, he said, was to formally recognise the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) in the Constitution. 'While MA63 has long been cited in public discourse, I have observed that many lack a clear understanding of its content. 'The Agreement itself, signed on the July 9, 1963, comprises two pages and two clauses. 'Still, it also involved other documents like the Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) Report and Cobbold Commission Report – all part and parcel of the whole documentation that became the treaty between Great Britain and Malaya for the formation of Malaysia,' he elaborated. Wan Junaidi added that because MA63 had not been incorporated into the Constitution, it could not serve as a valid basis for Sarawak and Sabah to negotiate with the federal government over the fulfilment of the terms set out in the Agreement. 'So for the last 58 years, we never got anything, for reasons that the treaty was never recognised by the Constitution.' This, he pointed out, was also followed by an amendment to Article 161A of the Constitution, which reverted the power to determine native status to the Sarawak government. At the federal level, Wan Junaidi was hailed as the driving force behind efforts to revive the Parliamentary Services Act, aimed at restoring Parliament's institutional independence following its repeal in 1992. 'That was the reason why it was, the reason, the regularity of my action in amending the constitution during that time,' said the Sarawak's Head of State. Honorary Bencher lead legal fraternity Tun Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar
Malay Mail
12 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Everyone can't be a striker: Johari tells Umno to play as a team ahead of GE16
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — Umno should adopt the mindset and strategy of a professional football team as it gears up for the next general election, said party vice-president Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, according to Kosmo! Speaking at the Johor Bahru Umno Division Delegates Meeting today, Johari stressed that success in politics depends on unity and clear roles — much like a football squad working together on the pitch. 'Politics is like football — we can't fight alone. You need strikers, midfielders, defenders, goalkeepers, reserves, and even supporters,' he was quoted as saying by Kosmo! He added: 'If everyone wants to be a striker and score goals, the team will struggle. But if each person plays their part, we can win.' Johari pointed to his own experience in the 15th general election, saying the win in the Titiwangsa parliamentary seat was not his alone. 'The victory in Titiwangsa wasn't just mine — it was a team victory for Titiwangsa Umno,' Kosmo! reported him as saying.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Go on the offensive ahead of next general election, PKR told
Former PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli said the party must showcase what the government has achieved in a way that can't be denied. PETALING JAYA : PKR must adopt a more aggressive political strategy if the party hopes to secure victory in the next general election, says its former deputy president Rafizi Ramli. He said the party's approach should be focused on two key aspects, that is, by aggressively highlighting the current government's tangible achievements, and openly exposing weaknesses or scandals involving opposition leaders. 'We have to showcase what the government has achieved in a way that can't be denied. At the same time, we must expose failures and scandals involving opposition figures,' the former economy minister said on his podcast last night. However, Rafizi claimed that such strategies are currently missing from the PKR leadership's approach. Pakatan Harapan (PH) secured a total of 82 seats at the last general election in 2022 (GE15), with PKR contributing 31 of those seats. While this marked a decline of 16 seats from the 47‑seat count in GE14 in 2018, PKR remained the second-largest party within the coalition behind DAP (40 seats). In May, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim called for all PKR leaders and members to strengthen the party in preparation for the next general election (GE16), which must be held by early 2028. Anwar, who is also the prime minister, added that PKR must reject the politics of hatred, slander and racism, which will only divide the people and weaken the country.
