Cabinet did not discuss Professors Council issues - Fahmi

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet meeting today did not discuss issues related to the National Professors Council (MPN) following a recommendation by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for the Prime Minister's Department (JPM) to review the relevance of its establishment.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil, however, said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously issued a stern reprimand to the Cabinet regarding the management of the MPN.

"No decision has been made regarding the issues yet, and they were not even raised for discussions, at least not at several recent meetings," he told a press conference after the Cabinet meeting here today.

Yesterday, PAC recommended that the JPM study the relevance of the MPN as a driving force of academic expertise in assisting the government in developing the nation after the Auditor-General's Report (LKAN) Series 2/2024 revealed that council misused its financial resources and that its corporate governance practices were unsatisfactory.

PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said that if the government decides to maintain MPN as a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLBG), it should be placed under the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) based on its function and role.

According to the report, MPN had funded the operational costs of two private companies amounting to RM373,516 and made payments totalling RM207,000 in fixed allowances to the chairman and deputy chairman without the approval of the minister in charge.

Meanwhile, Fahmi said the Cabinet has reviewed the governance issues related to government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs).

"The aspect of governance is being given special attention.

"After we amended the legislation to allow the Auditor General to audit any entity that receives public funds, we believe the management and governance of GLCs and GLICs will improve," he said.

-- BERNAMA

Read the latest news here