Parliament News: Nov 18

Finance Minister Announces RM10 Million Additional Allocation for National Audit Department

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz today announced an additional allocation of RM10 million for the Auditor General’s Department.

The funds are intended to help the department strengthen its resources and audit processes and capacities, he said when replying to questions raised on the Budget 2022 at the Dewan Rakyat today. He also acknowledged the various suggestions and proposals by Members of Parliament to enhance governance and raise the level of transparency in the administration of public funds.

He said the move was also in line with the King’s decree for the government take appropriate action on the matters and issues raised by the AG department in its audit report recently including the wastage and misuse of public funds.

Dr. Mahathir questions the RM100 million worth of gift to ex PM Najib

Ex Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for Langkawi Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad wanted to know why there was no mention in the Budget 2022 on the gift of RM100 million worth in land and house that had been approved by the Cabinet to be given to former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Tengku Zafrul replied that the matter was not under his purview and the best would be for the answer to come from the Prime Minister’s Department.

Dr. Mahathir expressed surprise that such a gift was being given and also said that Zafrul should be in a position to answer the question as he was a member of the Cabinet.

Time To Move Away from Ethnic Based Financial Planning to Needs Based Plans – Dzulkefly Ahmad

It is time the country moved to needs based national financial plans from ethnic based national finance plans, MP for Kuala Selangor, Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad said.

Directing the question to the Finance Minister, Dzulkefly also wanted to know if all the alleged funds from the country parked in offshore savings as said under the Pandora Papers could be returned to the Bumiputeras and raise the community’s equity ownership in the country from the said 16 percent currently.