PAC to meet LTAT after Hari Raya over its dire financial situation

 

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will meet the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT) after Hari Raya Aidilfitri over its troubling financial situation.

PAC chairperson Mas Ermieyati Samsudin expressed concerns over LTAT after it was revealed that its reserves were in the negative.

“This LTAT proceeding will be held after Hari Raya Aidilfitri and PAC will also call all parties involved, including three of its top management members who have resigned - its former director, former chief executive officer and former senior strategic director.

“This committee also does not rule out calling the defence minister as the latter that is responsible for LTAT considering that the issue is very critical and involves 122,935 contributors up until March 13, 2023, who are made up of former members of the Malaysian Armed Forces,” she said during a press conference at the media room in Parliament this morning.

Mas Ermieyati said this decision was made after a two-hour briefing given by the auditor-general over the Auditor General's Report (LKAN) for the federal government’s agencies' financial statements for the year 2022.

Two other agencies highlighted by the auditor-general are Felda and Perbadanan PR1MA Malaysia, which Mas Emieyati said will be called in after LTAT.

PAC chairperson Mas Ermieyati Samsudin

The resignation of three senior officers from LTAT within less than a month had sparked rumours that the establishment was facing an internal crisis.

It started with the resignation of LTAT chief executive officer Ahmad Nazim Abd Rahman on Jan 31, which was followed by its chairperson Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor on Feb 8.

On Feb 19, LTAT's senior strategic director Dayana Rogayah Omar reportedly tendered her resignation.

LTAT initially claimed that Affandi had retired but the latter reportedly denied it, stressing that he had resigned. This was later confirmed by Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Meanwhile, Mas Ermieyati said PAC will present seven reports during this parliamentary sitting; four new reports and three follow-up reports.

The new reports are:

• Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Holdings Report

• Langkawi Development Authority Property Development Management Report

• Flood Forecast and Warning Programme Report

• Management Report on Upgrading and Renewal of Dilapidated Buildings in Schools.

The follow-up reports are:

• Covid-19 Epidemic Management Follow-up Report: Expired Vaccines, Unusable Ventilator Equipment & Surplus Personnel Protective Equipment

• Follow-up Action Report on the Acceptance and Payment of Social Obligations Concession Agreements for the Management of the National Paddy and Rice Industry

• Control Officer's Report on the Follow-Up Actions over the Recommendations of the Report on the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Second Generation Patrol Vessel project for the period of October 2022 to May 2023 and June to September 2023 - Mkini