Leakages And What's Not Audited In 2009

Tan Sri Hj Ambrin Buang, the Auditor General of Malaysia, tells why the PTPTN fund has accumulated a huge deficit of RM50 billion, and why the tuna venture at Batu Maung has not net a single fish and has defaulted on its loan of RM240 million and needs a government bail-out. While the audit process is random and performance-based (non-performing contracts are highlighted), it is not entirely risk-focused, hence military procurement contracts are not consistently audited despite the media and politicians highlighting issues in defence equipment procrurement, and likewise not audited the decision-making processes of a major division like the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's department. Tan Sri justifies that it is not easy to audit procurement contracts and for over-spending on defence equipment because prices are not easily available. He has also inspected the submarine that could not dive, and assures that it can now. He says that not all non-performance of contracts is due to corruption - sometimes civil servants are aware of the rules but forget to comply.