Declassified audit report exposes weaknesses in 1MDB

PETALING JAYA: The declassified 1MDB audit report has identified a lot of weaknesses in the investment arm and the people involved in it, Asli Centre of Public Policy Studies chairman Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said.
He said there are a lot of inconsistencies in the report that need to be examined carefully.
"A lot of weaker junior civil just followed the orders given by their seniors without questioning them. The old tradition of an independent civil servants has been eroded," he told theSun today.
"The duty of the civil servant was to be nationalistic and to advise the government of the day without fear or favour. Today there are very few such civil servants."
He said the job of the civil servants is to be honest and serve the government of the day, not any political party.
Ramon said after giving their honest advise and views, they could be overridden by their political masters. He said it is the duty of the civil servant to serve and not be mere rubber stamps.
"There is a need for good governance, professionalism and independent thinking in the civil service which is sorely lacking at the moment," he said in reference to the way 1MDB played out.
Ramon said rules and regulations must be followed or there could be a repeat of the 1MDB saga.
The former secretary-general of the Transport Ministry said when politics take over in the civil service, professionalism goes out of the door.
He said only if civil servants of today change their mindset and realise that their duty is to serve by giving honest views even its not liked. Only then professionalism would return and issues such 1MDB would be avoided, he added.
Meanwhile, Suaram adviser Kua Kia Soong said it is gratifying to see the speed in which the 1MDB investigation is being conducted and the pledge by the new prime minister that the rule of law will be the new mantra and will apply to all and sundry.