By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, March 12: A local council in Sarawak has an outstanding uncollected debt of RM38 million since 2002, says Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Dr Juanda Jaya.
He explained that the amount was accumulated for 20 years and remained collected until it reached RM38 million.
“Therefore, Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has suggested that agencies involved in the collection of overdue debts like this, to create a better regulatory system, inform creditors to pay debts and if necessary, take legal action,” he told the media at Wisma Bapa Malaysia here today.
Earlier, Juanda led a delegation of the Special Cabinet Committee (CABCOM) on Annual Financial Statement Reports and Annual Budget Estimates for State Statutory Bodies and Local Authorities to pay a courtesy call on Abang Johari at the latter’s office.
Juanda further said that CABCOM has given recommendations especially to some government-linked companies (GLCs) that have too many subsidiaries and are largely inactive, to review the regulation of their agencies to ensure that the financial management of the GLCs is efficient and subsequently will not affect the government’s income.
At the same time, he informed that out of 52 agencies, only four received reprimands from the national audit.
This, according to him, is a very good achievement for Sarawak especially when part of the reprimand from the national audit is solely related to technical issues.
“However, the Premier has suggested that our audit remains not only clean but improved,” he said.
He also said Abang Johari has suggested for monthly reports from each agency about their respective expenses to ensure that the government’s cash flow is always under good control.
“This means that if you have not spent the money yet, we will not be rolling out next month’s payment to ensure that the government’s cash flow is always under good control.
“We also found that some agencies responsible in conducting maintenance works, would keep the money until year end and not take any action, which has led to the public’s frustration,” he pointed out.
Also present during the courtesy visit were Sarawak Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki and other members of CABCOM. — DayakDaily
