It is an annual affair that the auditor general presents his or her report to the public on how taxpayers’ money has been spent by government entities in the interest of transparency and accountability.
The auditor general’s report often reveals leakages, incompetency, wastage of public funds and malfeasance in government agencies – which, in the eyes of concerned people, warrant redress and the holding of the culprits to account.
As in previous years, the 2024 auditor general’s report bears similar stains of government institutions.
That said, one case in the report has raised more than an eyebrow when an exclusive club of professors, namely the National Council of Professors (NCP), was implicated in what amounts to financial malfeasance.
As the report stands, the revelation was jaw-dropping as professors, who supposedly value ethics, trust and integrity, were seen to have crossed that line.
According to the auditor general’s report, the council had misused RM373,516 to fund the operations of two companies and channelled a total of RM207,000 of fixed allowances to its chairman and deputy chairman.
The report further revealed that four payments were made without the approval of the board of trustees amounting to RM610,000 while in three cases, grants – totalling over RM2.4m – were “inefficiently used”.
That was not the only concern. The chairman and his deputy were reportedly paid from March 2022 to January 2024 a fixed monthly allowance of RM5,000 and RM4,000 respectively without getting the approval of the minister concerned. How could this happen?
Also, two private companies, not affiliated to National Council of Professors, were set up in 2019 and had been operating since then in the council’s headquarters without paying rent. Wouldn’t the rental have helped generate much-needed income for the council that was left without government funds?
What is also telling is that two members of the board of trustees did not declare their interest as shareholders of the two companies in accordance with the Companies Act 2016. Isn’t this a conflict of interest?
In its defence, the National Council of Professors argued that the two companies were formed to help generate income after government funding was cut in 2018.
Such reported irregularities are shocking as they involve professors, generally regarded – discounting the “kangkung” types – as the creme de la creme of academia, who would express disdain towards acts that are considered unethical and unjust.
They collectively are expected to be standard bearers for others to emulate for the good of academia and the wider society.
Such reported mismanagement of funds reflects badly on the council in particular and professors in general. Perhaps at this juncture, some professors need to stand up and be counted.
Academics, particularly professors, are expected to set a good example for students, nurturing them to become productive individuals of strong moral fibre.
This is apart from professors being expected to make useful contributions in terms of ideas for policies and solutions to social problems such as the scourge of corruption.
The blot in the National Council of Professors’ public standing also makes a mockery of the many studies undertaken by respected professors such as the late Syed Hussein Alatas, who rightly alerted us to the dangers of corruption in society.
As it stands, local academia has been blighted over the years by the unsavoury actions of academics, which include professors, such as indulging in plagiarism and other forms of intellectual dishonesty.
Confronted by the attorney general’s report, the public should not be left wondering what professors really profess. – The Malaysian Insight
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
Suspected and perceived abuse of power in the management of public and trust funds by some in positions of power and elites in civil services including some professionals has been highlighted via reported Findings of Auditor General which has been ongoing since mid1970s without much improvement in accountability and governance but numbers and amounts rising annually.
Compare this with Singapore AudGen Reports.
Above may also be worldwide common culture.
Bless all
Retired Audit Officer Knowledge Sharer Trainer