Inefficiencies and weak management of government finances and properties to the tune of $163.64 million were highlighted in an audit finding, which were based on 346 reports that have been issued over a five-year period from 2003-2008, which excluded Statutory Body Accounts and state-owned companies.
The Acting Deputy Auditor General, Awg Matali bin Hj Mohd Yusof in his presentation at an Internal Audit Implementation talk and workshop highlighted this matter yesterday for the Ministry of Religious Affairs and departments under it. The function was held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs building.

According to Awg Matali, the amount was expected to be bigger if the department could audit all the government ministries/departments including overseas missions, which total 136 organisations.

He explained that among the objectives of the formation of the Internal Audit Unit are to prevent and control any breach of trust, swindling, abuse of money and wastage. It is also to help government ministries and departments to better manage their financial affairs and government properties, as well as identify weaknesses in the government’s financial and property management before it reaches a critical point.

The Acting Deputy Auditor General also emphasised that the work was structured to make the Internal Audit Unit as the focal point for other audit departments in implementing their accounting works, whilst at the same time focus on auditing compliance towards accounts, such as cash and earning accounts, stores and expenditure accounts, as well as salary and allowance accounts.

Pg Haji Anuar Pg Seri Indera Pg Hj Ismail, Senior Administration Officer at the Ministry of Religious Affairs also underscored the aim of the ministry’s audit talk and workshop as part of a continuation of a workshop that has been carried out last year in order to refresh on the ideas that have been delivered, as well as add more understanding, particularly to the new staff of the ministry’s Internal Audit Unit and the participants.

In a similar audit of the Ministries of Education and Health, last year, it was revealed that the audited figure of government wastage amounted to $190 million.

Pg Hj Anuar pointed out that it is the task and responsibility of each department or section heads to ensure that their officers and staff carry out their duties with integrity and honesty, to always ensure that they follow the financial rules and to ensure that any criticism by the Auditor General must be taken seriously in order to improve upon any weaknesses immediately.

He added that any breach of trust, swindling, abuse of money and government property, wastage and so on made by any officer or staff must be reported immediately to the permanent secretary at the ministry for action to be taken.

He pinned his hopes that the participants attending the workshop could at least monitor any related offences or swindling on financial affairs management and those against the financial rules and laws.

The Senior Administrative Officer further reminded the participants to prevent or avoid any untoward incidents and improve any shortcomings, particularly in managing the finances of the ministry and its departments towards more efficiency.

Aside from the internal auditing talk, the participants were also given a talk by staff from the Anti Corruption Bureau, the Royal Brunei Police Force, the Civil Service Institute and the Ministry of Finance.

The four-day talk and workshop, attended by 60 officers and staff of the ministry and departments under it, will end on March 13.

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