Govt to investigate 103 punitive warnings from 2016 A-G Report

PUTRAJAYA: The government will be forming 26 Investigative Committees to investigate 103 punitive warnings including 60 at ministerial level and 43 at state government-level which was reported during the first series of the 2016 Auditor-General's Report.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa said from the 26 committees, 14 will be asked to investigate 60 punitive warnings involving 11 ministries.
He said the ministries include the Agriculture and Agro-based Ministry, Defence Ministry, Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry, Higher Education Ministry, Works Ministry, Health Ministry, Rural and Regional Development Ministry, Human Resource Ministry, Education Ministry, Public Private Partnership Unit (Ukas) in the Prime Minister's Department and the Home Ministry.
"Of the 60 punitive warnings, 31 of them have the basis to initiate disciplinary proceedings involving 119 officers with nine audit results being reviewed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), " he said during a session with the media following the release of the 2016 AG's Report Series 1, today.
At the state government level, Ali said 43 were punitive warnings were issued involving 12 state governments, namely Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Perak, Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Sabah.
"Five warnings have been investigated and 17 officers have a basis to initiate disciplinary proceedings," he said.
He said there were two types of reprimand in the Auditor-General's Report, namely corrective warnings, involving system and procedural improvements while punitive warnings consist of corruption, abuse of power, misconduct or negligence in executing tasks.
"Overall, a total of 895 audit warnings involve 748 corrective warnings and 103 punitive warnings in the 2016 AG's Report Series 1," he said.