Auditor-General's Report 2021 tabled in Parliament today

Auditor-General Datuk Seri Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid said the National Audit Department (NAD) improved the report by providing infographics on audit findings to summarise the audit result as a whole.

"The infographics are expected to help readers obtain important information from the audit, which was conducted quickly and accurately.

"On the tabling day, the department will also give a briefing on the main issues of the audit findings raised in the report to members of the Public Accounts Committee in Parliament," he said in a statement.

Nik Azman explained that the report contains several important matters, including the verification of the federal government's financial statements for the year ending Dec 31, 2021, which shows an accurate and fair picture of the government's financial position for the year in question.

"The accounting records were maintained in an orderly and up-to-date manner. However, the Auditor-General's Certificate was with Emphasis of Matter paragraphs pertaining to matters such as gross loan receipts in 2021 amounting to RM217.201 billion (RM194.555 billion in 2020), an increase of RM22.646 billion or 11.6 per cent.

"In addition, RM113.764 billion or 52.4 per cent of the total gross loans obtained in 2021 were used for the principal payment of maturing loans," he said and explained that the Emphasis of Matter highlights a fundamental matter that, in the auditor's opinion, needs to be paid attention to, without affecting the auditor's opinion.

Nik Azman also said that the gross loans amounting to RM217.201 billion resulted in an increase in federal debt to RM979.814 billion or 63.4 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) last year.

Regarding the analysis of the federal government's financial performance in 2021, he said the government revenue increased 3.9 per cent to RM233.752 billion from RM225.075 billion in the previous year.

"Operating expenditure amounted to RM231.516 billion, an increase of RM6.916 billion or 3.1 per cent compared to 2020, which amounted to RM224.600 billion.

"Surplus revenue amounted to RM2.236 billion, an increase of RM1.761 billion compared to 2020 which amounted to RM0.475 billion. This surplus has been transferred to the Development Fund," he said.

Meanwhile, Nik Azman said COVID-19 expenses had amounted to RM37.711 billion last year, which was a decrease of RM308.22 million or 0.8 per cent compared to the previous year which amounted to RM38.019 billion.

"Overall, the federal government recorded a deficit of RM98.740 billion with a ratio of 6.4 per cent of GDP (RM87.645 billion or 6.2 per cent of GDP in 2020), while the federal debt in 2021 amounted to RM979.814 billion with a ratio of 63.4 per cent of GDP.

He said for the LKAN on the State Government and State Agency Financial Statements 2021, a total of 13 state government financial statements for the year ending Dec 31, 2021 had been submitted within the permitted period, which was between January and last April.

"The audit conducted found that the financial statements for Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Selangor and Terengganu were given an Audit Certificate Without Reprimand, while seven states (Johor, Melaka, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak) were given Opinion Without Reprimand with Other Matter Paragraphs.

"Kedah was given an Opinion Without Reprimand with Other Matter Paragraphs and Emphasis of Matters," he said adding that the LKAN on the Federal Government's Financial Statement would be uploaded on the NAD website after it is tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.

Meanwhile, the LKAN for the 13 states will only be uploaded on the NAD website after being tabled in the respective state legislative assemblies.