DEWAN RAKYAT PASSES MOTION ON AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT 3/2025

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- The Dewan Rakyat today passed a motion on the Auditor-General's Report (LKAN) 3/2025 regarding the 2024 financial statements of federal agencies, aimed at reviewing leakages, non-compliance with regulations and conditions, and weaknesses in the country's financial planning.

The motion, tabled by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said on Tuesday, was passed by a majority voice vote after being debated by 23 Members of Parliament.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran, when winding up the debate for the department, said that the Auditor-General will audit the Legal Profession Qualifying Board (LPQB) financial statement annually from 2026, starting with the account for the year 2025.

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He clarified that, according to the law, the amendment to the Legal Profession Act 1976 by inserting a new Section 9A, which provides for the Auditor-General to audit the LPQB accounts annually, is non-retrospective in nature.

"This means it only takes effect moving forward. However, this does not prevent LPQB from submitting the overdue audits as soon as possible. They have not been audited for 17 years; this is unacceptable and we cannot just leave it like that.

"This involves the public's money, about RM60 million in examination fees from candidates, including from those who are poor. I will ask the LPQB to conduct an audit over the past 17 years and submit it to Parliament as soon as possible,” he said.

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Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said there is a 40 per cent drop in project delays under the ministry based on the LKAN.

"LKAN 2024 recorded 24 delayed projects, while the 2025 report stated only 12 such projects. This is a 40 per cent reduction,” he said.

However, he said the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) will continue to strive for improvements through annual post-mortem sessions, scheduled settings and other immediate approaches so that the projects involved can be completed on time and truly benefit the people.

Meanwhile, on the issue of unsold vehicle registration numbers, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said the Road Transport Department (JPJ) is in the process of developing a system to re-offer registration numbers that remain unsold in the department's records.

Known as the e-Baki System, he said it is an additional channel used by JPJ to offer or resell those registration numbers to the public.

Deputy Minister of Housing and Local Government Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu said 11 of the ministry's projects that were reported as being delayed in the LKAN are nearly completed, with only one still pending.

She said two projects have been completed, four are showing encouraging progress, while four others had their contracts terminated and have been re-tendered.

"The ministry always pays attention to the Auditor-General's reprimands and holds meetings at least twice a year to review follow-up actions. Insya-Allah, every ringgit of the people's money will be used in the best possible way,” she said.

Also involved in the winding-up debate were the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development, the Works Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories).

-- BERNAMA