Five committees to probe nine punitive reprimands against two ministries

PUTRAJAYA: Five investigation committees have been set up by the Public Service Department (PSD) to probe nine punitive reprimands recorded in the Auditor-General’s Report 2014 Series 2 concerning the Education Ministry and Prime Minister’s Department (JPM).

Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa, in a media conference yesterday, said there were eight punitive reprimands for the Education Ministry and one for the JPM.

Among the reprimands for the Education Ministry were for the building and facility maintenance management at the Gaya Teachers Training Institute (IPG) in Sabah, and the ICT equipment procurement at Kulim Bandar Baru District Education Office and Procurement and Asset Management Division, Kedah.

The only punitive reprimand for the JPM was on the ship/boat maintenance management at the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, he said.

Ali said the committees had so far found two punitive reprimands involving losses of RM166,259, while other reprimands did not involve financial loss, only for noncompliance with financial regulations.

“The committees have also identified 18 public officers marked for disciplinary action,” he said.

Ali said the eight punitive reprimands involved statutory bodies/federal agencies and state governments.

“The Audit Department has also instructed the relevant agencies to carry out investigation and submit their reports before July 12,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ali said the AuditorGeneral’s Report 2014 Series 2 tabled on June 15, recorded a total of 635 reprimands, 17 of which were punitive and 618 were corrective in nature.

The punitive reprimands involved misappropriation, misuse of power, misconduct or negligence in performing duties, while corrective reprimands were more on improvement of system and internal procedures.

Of the 618 corrective reprimands, 303 or 49 per cent had been resolved by the ministry/agencies involved, while the remaining 315 reprimands or 51 per cent were still being addressed as they involved review and amendment of the relevant regulations, he said.

“Their status are being monitored by the National Audit Department Dashboard,” he said. - Bernama

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