4 govt agencies found to have lapses in audit books
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MDA, MTI, MOE & Mindef found to have lapses in audit books
SINGAPORE: Four government agencies have been singled out for lapses in the way they've managed their finances.
The latest Public Accounts Committee report issued on Wednesday attributed three main factors to the significant number of audit findings.
They are laxity in procurement and contract management, lack of rigour in scrutiny by approving authorities and too light a touch in ministry-statutory board dealings.
The Media Development Authority (MDA) was found to have the most number of lapses, which the committee said taken together, "reflect poorly on the overall internal controls of the MDA".
They include undue delay in refunding S$6.06 million in Radio and TV (RTV) license fees.
The committee noted that as of 31 March 2008, MDA had accumulated the overpaid or unused balance of RTV license fees.
At the time of the audit in November 2008, MDA was still processing refunds which had arose way back in 2005.
In response, the Information, Communications and the Arts Ministry said since October 2009, two automated processes have been put in place to increase the efficiency of refunds.
MDA has since completed making the refunds.
MDA was also found to have paid more than necessary for out-sourcing of enforcement functions.
The agency had entered into a two-year contract valued at S$933,312 to outsource some of its enforcement functions.
But before the start of the contract, it was discovered that some of the functions could not be outsourced due to legal reasons.
The Committee said MDA did not seek a reduction in the contract price for the reduced scope of work.
Other lapses include shortcomings in the management of Public Service Broadcast programmes and not having a system for monitoring and enforcing compliance with broadcasting licence conditions.
In view of the number of lapses noted, the committee recommends that the Auditor-General's Office (AGO) consider reviewing MDA's governance and controls in two to three years’ time, instead of the usual once in seven years.
Among the other agencies taken to task, the Education Ministry was rapped for paying more than necessary on school cleaning contracts while the Defence Ministry was found to have carried out wrongful certification for a consultancy project, resulting in advance payment of $289,499 to the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA).- CNA/vm
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surprised it is on the news..
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You see, this is where our taxes go, to pay the staff who mess up their own audit books.
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no punishment given to them..they are trying to cover each other backside..
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What kind of punishment are the responsible parties going to get? I tell you the most, take longer to get their promotion. Getting promoted in civil service is extremely difficult. If you know how to por, will be a little faster. Believe it or not, its up to you.
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Not surprised
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Should sack them as punishment
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Sack who? The peasant staff, or their elite masters?
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Sack their elite masters and vote for me in the next election
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Originally posted by ditzy:
What kind of punishment are the responsible parties going to get? I tell you the most, take longer to get their promotion. Getting promoted in civil service is extremely difficult. If you know how to por, will be a little faster. Believe it or not, its up to you.
typically in private sectors --
if it is a public company if the amount is significant will be subjected to SEC and perharps CID investigation for Fraud....
For normal case it will be subjected to termination of employment.
Civil Service cannot be made as an Iron rice bowl.
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Call for more audits
ABOUT 10 months after the Media Development Authority (MDA) was criticised for being tardy, it refunded to radio and TV owners all the excess licence fees it had collected from them.
The amount was more than $6million.
Similarly, the Education Ministry, which was chided for unfairly rejecting some lower bids for school cleaning contracts, has introduced guidelines on how civil servants are to evaluate tenders.
These improvements were noted by a parliamentary committee that tracks what government ministries and statutory boards have done to correct irregularities in the use of public funds identified by the Auditor-General (A-G) in his 2008/09 report last July.
But more can be done, said the watchdog Public Accounts Committee (PAC), made up of eight MPs, in its annual report yesterday.
It wants the A-G to audit more often those showing many lapses, recommending that he pore over their financial accounts at least once in two to three years, instead of the usual once every seven years.
-- ST
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omg i hate admin laspes.
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I'm sure these are not the only contracts Min of Edu are poor in audit compliances.
I see polytechnics having so much funds to do campaigns, changing notebooks, pcs and software so often, building and re-furnishing offices, changing and spending $ on so many things... Is there any accountability for these tax payers $ spent ?
The purchasing policies and procedures may need to be relooked ah. How come in my office, I need to wait to get new PCs and in public sector, I hear of relatives getting new equipment almost every year.
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That speaks volume volumn of the govt.
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The most they sack the staffs and move the bosses around the agencies.
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Monk Ming Yi was jailed for 6 months for lapses in audit books, so cannot have double standard right ? just sacked is not enough right ?
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Originally posted by Fairyfairy86:
Monk Ming Yi was jailed for 6 months for lapses in audit books, so cannot have double standard right ? just sacked is not enough right ?
That one is not statuory board mah.
Salary can peg to private sector, benefits can peg to private sector, some other things will not be peg to private sector. -
Originally posted by Fairyfairy86:
Monk Ming Yi was jailed for 6 months for lapses in audit books, so cannot have double standard right ? just sacked is not enough right ?
I thought he was jailed for fraud?