PARLIAMENT | Human Resources Minister Steven Sim asserted that he will not protect any individuals implicated in the mismanagement of the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp).
“It is not my intention to point fingers or protect anyone, what’s more, those who are guilty.
“If the investigations (into HRD Corp) lead to any guilty individual, I won’t hesitate to take appropriate action, even if they are a minister, deputy minister, or in senior management,” he said.
Sim was giving a winding-up speech on the Auditor-General’s (AG’s) report in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He also reiterated that his ministry takes the findings of the AG’s Report 2/2024 as well as Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report seriously.
“We have taken measures that we have never taken before, and that is, we lodged a report to the MACC within 24 hours after the AG’s report findings were released,” he added.
HRD Corp is in hot water following the revelation by Auditor-General Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi in the AG’s Report 2/2024, that the government-linked corporation (GLC) failed its audit.
The audit report recommended the Human Resources Ministry refer the GLC to enforcement agencies.
‘Measures have been taken’
Separately, PAC revealed that HRD Corp had collected over RM3 billion from employers for training programmes, but used a portion of it for unrelated investments such as bonds and the stock market.
Hassan Abdul Karim (Harapan-Pasir Gudang) asked Sim if the Human Resources Ministry would also file a police report, holding the view that it’s a case of criminal breach of trust.
While assuring that his ministry will consider the suggestion, Sim said other measures have been taken.
Earlier today, Sim, in a statement, said his ministry will appoint a professional third-party auditor to ensure transparency in the independent audit of HRD Corp.
He added that a special task force chaired by the ministry’s secretary-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud has been established to facilitate ongoing investigations and examine the audit and PAC reports, including MACC investigation results and independent audits.
Deputy speaker Ramli Md Nor asked for Hassan’s views on whether it should be made mandatory for the AG to lodge a report to the police as well as MACC once the report findings are made public.
“I spent 15 years serving the commercial crimes (department in the force). So when it (the reports to the police and MACC) is delayed, the evidence begins to disappear... What do you (Hassan) think?” he raised the question.
Hassan, in response, said he saw no harm in making it mandatory for the AG to file reports to the two aforementioned authorities, saying it’s for the betterment of the country and the people.
Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota) also expressed support for Ramli’s idea.
“That’s a brilliant idea, I am of the view that we should consider it. I support it in principle,” Saifuddin said. - Mkini
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