KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will be calling the Treasury secretary-general and the secretary-general from four ministries to explain the leakages stated in the Auditor General's Report 2021 Series 2 (AG's Report).
PAC chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsuddin said the four ministries are the Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, Health Ministry, Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry as well as Rural and Regional Development Ministry.
The PAC decided to call them after listening to the National Audit Department's briefing on the report yesterday (Wednesday), she said in a press conference today.
"I would like to stress that PAC has very wide powers not only in the Standing Orders 77 (c)(1) but also the Treasury Directive and the JPM (Prime Minister's Department) Public Circular.
"PAC is the only Dewan Rakyat Select Committee which has the specific powers under the Treasury Directive and JPM Public Circular to call supervising officers or the ministry secretary-generals to appear before the committee," she added
The Agriculture and Food Security Ministry secretary-general will be called on June 14 to respond to the issue of weakness in the rice subsidy scheme under the Social Obligation Concession Agreement for the Malaysia Rice Industry Management.
The AG's Report mentions that there is a loss of RM37 million of public funds as the obligation funds for 2021 were not received.
There is also irregular payments of RM0.73 million under the scheme to a padi field operator who has passed away.
The report also found that the supply of machineries did not meet the schedule, resulting in the loss of RM3.12 million, and also RM0.87 million for machineries not in use and broken.
The Health Ministry secretary-general and Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry secretary-general will be called on June 15 to respond to Covid-19 management issues.
Mas Ermieyati said the report found that a total of 1.1 million vaccine doses expired on April 30 last year, and 93 ventilators were unable to be used out of the 136 ventilators procured.
Meanwhile, the utilisation rate of boot covers and protective suits compared to the remaining stock were 2.2 per cent and 3.1 per cent respectively, with the remaining stock of 3.08 million and 0.84 million pairs respectively.
Mas Ermieyati said the Treasury secretary-general and Rural and Regional Development Ministry secretary-general will only be called to the PAC proceeding on June 27 because Felcra Bhd's financial position cannot be ascertained as the audited financial statements for 2019, 2020, and 2021 have not been finalised.
"PAC will also receive a briefing on Jana Wibawa programme from the Finance Ministry," she added.