Auditor-General's Report exposes entrenched weaknesses in public sector governance, says Lam Thye

The Star

2 days ago

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.