Kota Kinabalu: Sabah emerged as the best state in Malaysia with the highest number of state government departments, agencies and ministry issued with the excellent four-star rating for their Accountability Index (AI) by the National Audit Department for 2014.Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said a total of 24 out of 35 State government departments, agencies and ministries audited were given the maximum rating for their outstanding financial management.He called on them to maintain the excellent performance of their AI as a motivation for their staff to keep on enhancing and empowering their respective financial management, adding that others that have yet to obtain such achievement must not give up but continue to work harder to achieve the top rating.
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"I am very proud with the commendable feat of our State's public sector as it proved that strong will, transparency, hard work, full dedication and sincerity as well as practising prudent spending and no wastage would lead to the desired success."Not only that, Sabah made huge improvement in its financial statement for 2014 as there were only three government departments and agencies with four-star rating in 2008 but this jumped to 24 in 2014," he said, adding that the assessment and evaluation system based on AI in the State started in 2007.Musa, who is also State Finance Minister, said this at the presentation of Excellence Awards for Financial Management based on AI for 2014 at a hotel here, Thursday.Witnessed by Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang, Musa presented incentives of RM15,000 and a plaque to each of the 24 state government departments, agencies and a ministry for their excellent achievement.
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Among the 24, six were state statutory bodies, namely Sabah Economic Development Corporation (Sedco), Rural Development Corporation (KPD), Sabah Rubber Industry Board (LIGS), Sabah Ports Authority and Sabah Forestry Development Authority (Safoda), while the rest are the State Secretary's Office, State Public Service Department, State Rural Development Ministry, State Economic Planning Unit, State Treasury Department, Government Printing Department, Sabah Fisheries Department, Sabah Ports and Harbour Department, State Public Sector Training Institute, Sabah Liaison Office, City Hall Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan Municipal Council, Ranau District Council, Kinabatangan District Council, Beluran District Office, Semporna District Council, Kudat Town Board and Keningau District Office.Also present were Deputy Auditor-General Datuk Mustafa Saman, State Secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman, Federal Secretary in Sabah Datuk Borhan Dullah, Assistant Ministers to the State Finance Ministry Datuk Michael Asang and Datuk Ramlee Marhaban, Permanent Secretary to the State Finance Ministry, Datuk Pg Hassanel Pg Mohd Tahir, and senior officials.
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Musa said the prominent feat achieved by the 24 was also recognised and acknowledged by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Razak at a finance meeting where he was briefed by the Auditor-General on the financial performance of all states in the country."I remembered attending the meeting chaired by the Prime Minister where he was briefed by the Auditor-General that Sabah was the best State in the country with the highest number of state government departments and agencies with the maximum four-star rating for AI."Najib was pleased and acknowledged Sabah's achievement for the outstanding performance of the 24 departments, agencies and ministry for well managing their funds," he said proudly.He said they are targeting to have 28 government departments, agencies and ministries issued with full-star rating for AI by the National Audit Department for State's financial statement 2015.Musa said he is optimistic that Sabah could achieve the target, which is additional four government departments, agencies and ministries, to get the best rating or about 80 per cent from the 35 that will also be audited."If possible, we want more than 80 per cent or all the 35 government department, agencies and ministries to be given the maximum star rating for AI," he said.Despite economic uncertainties, Musa said the State Government will make efforts to practise prudent spending and avoid wastage and unnecessary spending.He said implementation of development projects would be regularly monitored to ensure no delay or lateness in project completion that could cause the cost to increase.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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