PAC receives feedback from two agencies on audit report

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today received feedback from the Ministry of Finance and Public Service Department (PSD) pertaining to their follow-up on the Auditor General Report 2012 and 2013.

Its chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said it was the first time that both agencies had done so after PAC gave various recommendations for action based on the annual audit reports.

"The Treasury Order 304 states that the ministry must provide feedback to PAC on the recommendations and proposals given based on the AG report.

"Among the contents are improvements that have been carried out by the ministry following PAC's recommendations and proposals after investigations are conducted based on the audit report," he told a media conference after chairing the PAC meeting at Parliament Buidling here today.

He said PAC also received a report from PSD on their follow-up against officers found to have committed offences during their service throughout the two-year period.

During that period, 339 government officers and personnel were investigated, including action being taken against 133 of them for various misconduct, he said.

Meanwhile the PAC viewed the private finance initiative introduced by the government to obtain funds to finance project development activities was identified as not meeting the programme's actual concept.

Even though the initiative was a good concept, PAC said it was not applied in the implementation of the programme, which was a government 'off-budget' while the private sector did not finance the project cost.

The committee's report on the management control procedure of construction company, PFI Sdn Bhd (PPFI) was distributed in Dewan Rakyat today.

PPFI, which was established in 2006, is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated to acquire funds to finance projects and activities identified by the government.