Kuala lumpur: Debates on the Auditor-General's Report in the Dewan Rakyat must continue as a crucial check-and-balance platform, in line with the government's aim to strengthen public sector governance, alongside scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said stated that the move is part of ongoing reforms to enhance the efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness of public entities.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the principles of transparency and accountability have guided the MADANI Government to take a significant step by not only tabling the LKAN in this Honourable House but also allowing it to be openly debated. This marks a departure from previous administrations that only tabled the report without debate. Since June 6, 2023, the Auditor-General's Report has been debated four times in this House, as Azalina mentioned when tabling the Auditor-General's Report 2/2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today.
The report, which covers the activities of ministries, departments, statutory bodies, and federal government-linked companies, presents audit findings on five programmes, activities, or projects across seven ministries, with a total audited value of RM48.873 billion. Azalina highlighted that LKAN 2/2025 revealed serious irregularities in three of the five audited programmes, potentially undermining their efficiency and intended impact.
To address these shortcomings and prevent recurrence, the report sets out 22 recommendations for the relevant ministries, departments, agencies, and federal government-linked companies to act upon. This initiative creates a direct avenue for more members of parliament to play an active role in ensuring government funds are managed prudently in the public interest, she added.
The debate also aims to provide a platform for discussing concrete steps to address the issues raised, ensuring they are given due attention before effective corrective action is taken. Azalina further noted that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has stressed the need for all responsible ministers to thoroughly review every finding raised in LKAN 2/2025, especially recurrent issues that remain unresolved.