Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang will introduce an accountability index next year that awards star ratings to all ministries, state governments and statutory bodies for their management of public funds. [Malaysiakini]
Marks (and stars) will be given according to performance…
4 stars – Excellent (90% – 100%)
3 stars – Good (70% – 89%)
2 stars – Satisfactory (50% – 69%)
1 star – Not Satisfactory (49% and below)
The Auditor-General’s idea is quite a bold one, but what’s the point? What would happen if some influential leaders get a 1 star rating? Samy Vellu should be a hot favourite, but can the cabinet fire him? What if Badawi or Najib get a 1 star… what can be done?
(I am not too sure if the ministers themselves will be accessed, just my thoughts)
The ministries and various bodies are not stupid; they might be managed by some of the brightest people in the country… they know how to manage public funds, a bit too well perhaps. Most of the funds are not simply wasted; the money has to go somewhere, into some bank accounts. The question is… whose accounts has the money got into?
Whenever there is some scandalous stuff exposed, there will be criticisms here and there… vowing this, swearing that… but in the end, nothing happens. The money is gone like the Bermuda Triangle mystery, no people is penalized accordingly, and no solutions are provided for every cases.
It’s not about mismanagement of public funds, it’s about corruption… from top to bottom.
We need some drastic methods to fight against corruptions; the Auditor-General’s star rating is not going to work well. Besides, if Mr Ambrin Buang is to publish something that could really harm the government leaders, do you think he will be allowed to hold his current position for long?