FINANCE Ministry treasury secretary-general Johan Mahmood Merican was among the individuals called to give his statement and clarification at the proceeding on property development management of Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) today.

Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the proceeding which began at 3.30pm in parliament also involved Johan’s deputy, Shahrazat Ahmad, and Lada deputy chief executive officer (Planning and Development) Wan Kamarul Faisal Wan Kamardin.

“The proceeding follows the 2022 Auditor-General’s Report published on November 22,” she said in a media conference at parliament building today.

According to the report, the performance of Lada was found unsatisfactory as several private development and investment projects were found not completed according the stipulated period and the revenue collected by the authority was also found not meeting target.

Lada was also found to be weak in the management of leased land which caused the failure to collect revenue and is exposed to the risk of losing land.

Lada was established on March 15, 1990 as a statutory body incorporated under the Langkawi Development Authority Act 1990 (Act 423) is an agency under Finance Ministry with the role of developing Langkawi as a world standard tourist destination.

Apart from the Lada proceeding, Mas Ermieyati said the training fund management and programme effectiveness of HRD Corp will be held on December 6 with HRD Corp board members Raiha Azni Abd Rahman and Palaniappan Joseph as witnesses.

“So far, PAC has held five proceedings on the issue with witnesses called including HRD Corp chief executive Shahul Dawood and Human Resource Minister V. Sivakumar as well as 2022 HRD Corp board members,” she said.

According to the PAC chairman, six more proceedings have been lined up the next month and year, among them are Integrated Foreign Worker Management System and Foreign Workers Centralised Management System on December 5 and Universiti Teknologi MARA Holdings Sdn Bhd (December 6).

“There will also peroceedings on Forest Management Special Audit; Impact on the Environment on December 12 and Management of the Rice Planting Programme on Dece 13.

“Meanwhile, for the proceedings of the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Programme and the Upgrading and Redevelopment of Dilapidated Buildings in Schools Management are also scheduled in 2024, but the dates have not yet been determined,” she said.

At the same time, she said, during the Third Meeting, Second Session of 15th Parliament, as many as nine proceedings were conducted and four PAC reports were presented, including the Progress Report on the Second Generation Patrol Vessel Construction Project for the Royal Malaysian Navy under the Defence Ministry on October 9 and November 14.

Also tabled are, the COVID-19 Pandemic Management Report: Expired Vaccines, Unusable Ventilator Equipment and Surplus Protective Equipment Personnel under the Health Ministry and the report on Receipt and Payment Under Social Obligations of the Concession Agreement for the National Padi and Rice Industry on October 11 and 30 respectively.

Mas Ermieyati said the PAC also held a feedback procedure for all the reports to find out the ministry’s actions against the recommendations presented and the committee will present all the feedback reports at the Dewan Rakyat next February. – Bernama, November 30, 2023