Monday September 10, 2007
‘Public will avoid paying taxes if wastage continues’
PETALING JAYA: Government officers must spend money wisely or risk having Malaysians think of creative ways to avoid paying taxes because they are fed up with the mismanagement of public funds – such as a ministry paying RM224 for a RM32 set of screwdrivers.
“If the money is honestly spent to make the country better, tax payers will pay because they know it is being put to good use.
“Taxes come from the sweat and blood of Malaysians. If there is dishonesty and wastage of public funds, it riles the public,” said Transparency International Malaysia president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam.
He added if the wastage continued, there would even come a time when taxpayers would think of ways to avoid paying taxes because they were no longer convinced the money would be put to good use as pledged by the administration.
Navaratnam was commenting on the 2006 Auditor-General’s Report outlining a slew of cases involving public fund mismanagement.
From paying RM1,146 for a set of pens costing RM160 to forking out RM5,700 for a car jack worth RM50, the list is long and sometimes shocking.
He commended Auditor-General Tan Sri Ambrin Buang and his team for diligently uncovering the mismanagement, saying it showed the department acted without fear and favour.
“Going by what was reported, it cannot be blamed if the public finds it hard to swallow the integrity policy advocated by the Government,” said Navaratnam.
He said investigations must be conducted and government officers found to have wasted public funds must be duly punished.
Consumer watchdog Fomca advisor Prof Hamdan Adnan said public fund mismanagement was a hot topic among Malaysians.
“The Anti-Corruption Agency must step in. It is very fishy when officers are allowed to purchase a car jack for RM5,700 when it is only worth RM50,” said Hamdan.
He also wanted to know if the Government would investigate why the Youth and Sports Ministry’s secretary-general had signed off 11 contracts beyond his authority.
“The Government is very wrong if it assumes the public will just accept the wastage and not be angry. The leaders keep saying the rakyat must spend wisely, but where is the leadership by example?” asked Hamdan.
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