The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) will investigate all allegations of mismanagement of funds highlighted in the recently released Auditor-General's Report 2006.

This was revealed by Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz in Putrajaya today.

"Prime Minister (Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) has asked all ministries to take the report seriously and correct any wrongdoing if there is (any). We think it is only right that the ACA starts investigating the cases mentioned in the report," he was quoted as saying by Bernama.

Nazri said the agency would have to investigate those alleged to have abused their powers or were involved in corrupt practices so that they could be charged in court.

He said since the Auditor-General's Report was an official document, there was no need for the ACA to wait until they received a complaint.

"Currently, the ACA is studying the report thoroughly. We have to give them some time. They will start their investigations soon.

"The bottom line is to take this report, which comes out annually, seriously," he added.

On Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak asked the ministries concerned to answer all questions pertaining to the mismanagement of public funds as mentioned in the report.

Free to quiz anybody

The report released last Friday reveals several cases of mismanagement of public funds by the various ministries.

Among others, the report states that many ministries had paid high prices for items which cost much lower in the market.

The report also singled out a case where the Youth and Sports Ministry had paid RM224 for a set of screwdrivers which cost only RM32.

The ministry's secretary-general had also signed off 11 contracts worth between RM7.99 million and RM74.2 million pertaining to the National Youth Skills Institute (IKBN) project on behalf of the government.

Other cases highlighted by the AG's report include ineligible non-governmental organisations receiving funds from the government, and money wasted on buying a helicopter that could not be used.

Nazri said ACA investigators need not get approval from a minister to question officers as the agency had the authority to investigate, and was responsible for curbing and eradicating corruption in the country.

"We need to investigate as the report cannot be used as a conclusive evidence in court. When we want to charge someone, we need a complete investigation on the mismanagement of funds. We also need to question people to get clarification, information and evidence."

He said the ACA was free to question anyone it felt could shed some light on the mismanagement of funds and he or she could be a minister or a secretary-general of a ministry.

"But we must remember, just because there is some mismanagement at a certain ministry, it does not mean that the minister is corrupt," he added.

The opposition has called for a detailed probe into the alleged mismanagement of funds.

Yesterday, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said Najib, who is also defence minister, should follow his own advice and explain the RM6.75 billion scandal of six Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) that have either not been delivered or not operational.

"The RM6.75 billion OPV scandal is the largest single case of misuse of funds in the Auditor-General's Report," he added