(NEWS ANALYSIS) As the ruling government for over 50 years, the Auditor General’s 2012 Report only highlighted the failures and true attitude of the Umno-BN Government in managing public funds.
After raising the price of fuel on grounds of saving the country’s funds, the report disclosed the true ‘wickedness’ of Umno-BN in wasting billions from the public fund.
Apart from inviting annoyance towards the attitudes of politicians from a wasteful government, the attitude of government administrators who spend without it being based on the ‘value for money’ principle is also worrisome.
What is the reason for spending RM300,000 for a trip overseas when the cost is only RM50,000?
The problem of wastefulness continues to go on despite opposition leaders previously stating that the government could potentially save RM28 billion if it is able to address leakages, inefficiency of management and corruption.
Being improvident is only a small amount detected due to the annual audit, however, what about the expenses of the Prime Minister, Deputy Minister, Cabinet Ministers and their wives?
Perhaps if all of them are audited, more appalling wastefulness or even embezzlement will be found. It fact, it would not be impossible if it amounts to billions of ringgit.
If the amount can be saved in a year, perhaps the people will not have to face the hike in petrol prices and the government will not stubbornly want to implement the Goods and Services Tax.
Regardless, what is important is the action by the authorities to investigate and prosecute individuals that cause wastage and the existence of the element of corruption.
This is because the report, which is a ‘hot’ topic being debated here and there for a week or two, will turn ‘cold as ice’ without any concrete action.
If this practice continues, it looks like we need to wait for next year for the debate of the latest report and hear bad excuses from the government while forgetting the report that is in front of our eyes.
And it this cycle will go on, till who knows when.