KUALA LUMPUR, June 8 — The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called on the government to appoint the auditor-general as soon as possible while avoiding to select former secretaries-general (KSU).
PAC chairman, Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said as the crucial post in the country has been left vacant, it resulted in the Auditor-General’s Report (LKAN) on the federal government’s financial statement for 2022 and the report on federal agencies for 2021 not being able to be presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
“Only the auditor-general can submit his report to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong who would then give his consent for it to be tabled at Dewan Rakyat in line with Article 107(1) of the Federal Constitution,” she told a media conference at the lobby of Parliament Building today.
Mas Ermieyati said the government needs to stop the practice of appointing the auditor-general from among former KSU and should instead appoint an individual with professional background in accounting and auditing.
She said the move would give value add to the National Audit Department in implementing auditing professionally.
“The appointment of former KSU as auditor-general should be avoided even though the justification for the appointment of KSU is because they know about the ins and outs of public administration,” she said.
Meanwhile, she called on the government to re-examine the inadequate financial allocation to the National Audit Department.
“This matter hinders the work carried out by the National Audit Department coupled with the Parliament’s move to debate the LKAN proposal. Therefore, I hope the government will examine this matter so that the auditing process can be improved,” she said.
The position of auditor-general was not filled since Datuk Seri Nik Azman Abdul Majid completed his service in February. — Bernama
