PUTRAJAYA: New initiatives and approaches must be adopted by the National Audit Department to ensure it delivers meaningful and impactful outcomes that benefit the people, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said that reforms in the national auditing system, which are ongoing, must be both sophisticated and comprehensive.
"I urge everyone here to ensure that auditing continues, but it must focus on maximum impact, not merely as a routine exercise, but in a way that is more effective and delivers real benefits to the public," he said in his speech during the launch of the 120th Anniversary Celebration of the National Audit Department here on Monday (Jan 26).
Anwar said that audits must be conducted promptly.
"Even with a strong and transparent system, delays create opportunities for leakages. Auditing must therefore be swift and accurate," he said.
He pointed out the importance of public perception in auditing.
"Auditing should be approachable and understandable. Sometimes, new systems are perceived as cumbersome, especially by those accustomed to inefficiency or malpractice. This requires the Auditor-General and the entire department to engage with the public, understand their concerns, and earn their trust," he said.
The Prime Minister added that he wants to remove the perception among some quarters that auditing is a burden.
"The system must be communicated as a proactive effort to improve governance. If we want the nation to develop with more effective, efficient, transparent, and beneficial systems, the challenge is to bridge understanding with the public.
"Sometimes there is a gap between our good intentions and the reality on the ground.
"This concerns me, because even well-designed programmes can fail if they are poorly understood or not embraced by the public, leading to tension and misunderstanding," he added.
Anwar also called for new initiatives, including digitalisation and outreach to lower levels, so that auditing is not seen as intimidating.
He said continuous engagement with the public is necessary to ensure they understand that auditing is essential for national progress.
"Beyond what has been mentioned, we must also focus on new approaches. The audit system must be dynamic. If we remain stuck in old ways of thinking and outdated performance levels, we will not move forward," he said.
