Public Accounts Committee launches investigations into UKM, national research ecosystem and Syarikat Pelaburan Hartanah following serious governance and financial breaches in the 2026 Auditor-General’s report.
PETALING JAYA: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will probe Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the national research, development, commercialisation and innovation ecosystem, and the management of Syarikat Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad following serious findings in the 2026 Auditor-General’s report.
Its chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the move responds to systemic weaknesses, governance breaches and leakages of public funds uncovered in the audit.
“The report has highlighted serious irregularities and weaknesses in programme implementation, activities and projects.
“Through the expanded Malaysian Audit Act 1957, the department has produced its first report on the management of other bodies, including companies, conducted via the e-self audit system,” she said at a press conference in Parliament yesterday.
Mas Ermieyati also said PAC’s review of the report uncovered “various systemic weaknesses, serious breaches of governance and leakages of public funds”, adding that PAC is committed to ensuring taxpayers’ money is managed with integrity, transparency and efficiency.
On the university, she said PAC will initiate proceedings concerning its management and alleged mismanagement.
“The Auditor-General’s report raised issues relating to violations of the university’s constitution, unauthorised revenue-generating activities, entrenched conflicts of interest among civil servants, and failures in managing building upgrades and deteriorating facilities.”
The committee will also scrutinise the research, development, commercialisation and innovation ecosystem programmes, which the audit found were marred by performance deficits, waste, governance failings and loss of intellectual assets.
Syarikat Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad’s management is the third area under PAC’s lens.
“The report highlighted mismanagement in the company, particularly in physical projects undertaken,” she said.
Mas Ermieyati said dates for proceedings and witness summonses will be announced in due course.
She said although the audit flagged numerous issues, PAC chose to focus on these areas due to their complexity and the need for thorough examination.
“These proceedings will be lengthy and intricate as multiple parties need to be called to provide testimony and explanations,” she said, noting that the schedule will be finalised later.
Published last week, the audit flagged serious irregularities in the university’s student fee collection and expenditure, highlighting failures to comply with legal and financial regulations.
It found that an unauthorised body, Koperasi B-5-1788, collected student fees of RM50.74 million in total, including RM3.53 million for the Master of Education programme and RM47.21 million for the Postgraduate Diploma in Education.
The report also highlighted irregular spending, including RM5.94 million in commissions to ineligible agents, RM107,907 in overseas expenses for six non-university individuals and RM35,000 in industrial attachment allowances for ineligible students.
