Audit Dept Announces Austerity Measures. Don't Forget To Inform The Terengganu MB Too

The Audit Department wants its employees to lead by example and reduce spending, including cutting down on overtime.

Auditor General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang said apart from the directive on austerity measures announced by the Treasury last month, employees should also reduce the number of events and local and overseas travel.

“I also want all department heads to justify why we need to spend money for a particular purpose,” he said, adding that the department should only hold functions that were necessary.

Ambrin said overtime would only be allowed if the task had to be completed urgently and there must be a written request for it from the department head.

“Overseas travel for official work should also be limited to attending important international conferences or government-to-government meetings. Only three or fewer officers directly involved in the meetings would be allowed to attend,” he added.

He said department heads should also ensure funds allocated for projects were spent on schedule before the end of the year.

“There must be proper planning and supervision. We should not use the bunching method (where whatever monies left in the budget is used up just before the close of the financial year),” he said.

Ambrin said all purchase of vehicles, furniture and other office fittings and computers that had not been committed to would have to be deferred.

“Employees should also strictly abide by the earlier directive (from the Treasury) to reduce electricity, water and telephone usage,” he said, adding that employees should switch off lights when not in their rooms or when going out for lunch. (The Star Online)

***** Obviously these austerity measures have either not trickled down to Terengganu or the state government there could not be bothered, when it went ahead and purchased Mercedes Benz E200 Kompressor limousines to replace the current fleet of Proton Perdana V6 official cars.

After the questionable manner in which the pugnacious Menteri Besar came to take office in Terengganu, perhaps this is a way for him to keep his Umno comrades in good spirits.

In any case, austerity measures and belt-tightening strategies are for mere mortals and not for bangsa, agama dan negara berjuang-ing umnoputeras who firmly believe that they are deserving of such luxuries. Try arguing with them on this point and they'll fervently mention the NEP and the 'social contract' as their passport to unlimited entitlement and wealth, the country be damned.