Auditor General to meet public today over his report

Tan Sri Ambrin Buang (pic) will go down to the ground for the first time today to meet the public and explain the findings of the 2012 Auditor General’s Report which is currently being hotly debated.

The Auditor General will be at a forum titled "Audit Report: Leaks or Lapses" where he will share the stage with Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed and DAP publicity secretary Tony Pua.

The three-hour event, which begins at 2.30pm, will be held at the Auditorium Kompleks Media Karangkraf in Section 15, Shah Alam.

"There has been a lot of outrage and disgust expressed on social media about the government's apparent inefficiency and lackadaisical attitude in managing public funds.

"I have observed the numerous comments made by various quarters through different channels including the social media. I have also noted that comments have been made by those who have not actually read the 2012 Auditor General’s Report," Ambrin told The Malaysian Insider in the administrative capital Putrajaya.

“This is one of the reasons why the public gets agitated and angry with the government," he said.

Ambrin has decided to attend the forum in the hope of educating the public on "what my office does and how we come up with the findings and recommendations in our report".

"We have no agenda nor are we concerned with who is in power, we are merely carrying out the mandate given to us," he told The Malaysian Insider.

He said the main reason behind the wastage and asset mismanagement is due to civil servants not adhering to procedures and guidelines.

"In many instances, problems arose simply because the proper procedures had not been followed," said the Auditor General.

The failure to follow the proper guidelines and regulations is what led to the huge losses being incurred, Ambrin said.

He wondered why police was under the spotlight over the RM1.33 million in lost assets.

Ambrin pointed out that the report also mentioned many other government agencies and departments had missing assets.

"Even my own office has had assets, mainly computers, stolen. The difference is that we followed the proper procedures by lodging police reports and conducting an internal inquiry," said Ambrin.

Following the release of the report, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa announced the formation of a special committee, which he will chair, to scrutinise the findings in the report.

In the committee too are the Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal and representatives from the MACC, Finance Ministry and police.

However, the formation of the committee has been questioned by Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang. They argued that the special committee was actually doing the work of PAC.

"The committee comprises government officials, so will the public believe in the findings of the special committee as the culprits behind the wastage and financial mismanagement are also from the civil sector?" Lim had said in his blog.

The AG's report revealed irregularities which led to the government suffering losses worth billions of ringgit. - October 10, 2013.