Increase in punitive warnings by auditor-general

PUTRAJAYA: Punitive warnings against government servants in the 2015 AuditorGeneral’s Report (Series 1 & 2) was almost double that of the previous year, said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa.

He said 85 warnings were issued in 2015 compared to 49 in 2014.

“The increase in punitive warnings was due to the audit being done across the board involving revenue management, resulting in an increase of ministries, departments and agencies being audited.

“The auditing included government projects worth more than RM100 million and considered ‘high impact’, with focus on problematic projects.”

Ali noted the 85 punitive warnings made up only 5% of the 1,695 warnings issued by the Public Services Department (PSD) following the publication of the complete 2015 AuditorGeneral’s Report.

He said 95.6%, or 1,610, were corrective warnings to improve the system.

Punitive warnings are issued for embezzlement, misconduct, negligence or abuse of power in the execution of duties.

Of the 42 warnings in the report’s second series, Ali said PSD initiated disciplinary proceedings against 19 officers, while eight warnings had no elements of fraud, abuse of power, misconduct or negligence.

The remaining 16 punitive warnings are still being investigated, with one being undertaken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency relating to the Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme under the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry. – by G. Surach and V. Ragananthini