The government has taken action or in the process of taking action against 72 officers, some of whom are already retired, and 23 public and private companies for failing to adhere to public fund
management procedures as highlighted in the 2008 Auditor-General's Report.

Chief secretary to the Government Mohd Sidek Hassan said the cases were part of 374 cases dealt with by the committee headed by him.

The committee comprises Public Service Department director-general Ismail Adam, Treasury secretary-general Dr Wan Abdul Aziz Wan Abdullah, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail, Auditor-General Ambrin Buang, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Abu Kassim
Mohamed and Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar.

He said the action taken against officers included termination of employment, a fine of equivalent to two or three days' emolument, surcharge, civil action and warning.

"Action taken against companies include blacklisting and civil action," he said in a statement.

Mohd Sidek said the committee, announced by Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on Oct 30 last year, had met on five occasions and decided that there would be no action to be taken on 82 cases involving civil servants.

Many cases still under probe

He said investigations on these cases showed that there were no elements of negligence or that they occured due to factors beyond the officers' control.

Mohd Sidek said at the state level, the committee decided to take action on nine cases in which 30 officers would be given warning and one company would be blacklisted.

These were among 55 cases in states which had been dealt with by the committee, he said.

He said 91 other cases at the federal government level and 36 cases at the state level were still under investigations by the MACC, police, Companies Commission of Malaysia and the Public Service Department.

He said the task force had also asked ministries, departments and state governments to speed up investigations into pending cases and to review decisions on cases which did not require further action.

Mohd Sidek said the task force was also identifying measures which should be taken by ministries, departments and state governments to ensure cases of mismanagement would not recur.

"To overcome weaknesses in the management of government companies, the task force has requested these companies to adopt the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance," he said.

He added that the task force would meet on a weekly basis to handle the remaining cases by April 30.

- Bernama