- Nur Syafiqah Abdullah
Careful when using public funds, Rafidah tells new govt
25 Aug 2021
By Nur Syafiqah Abdullah
KUALA LUMPUR: Former federal minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz has urged the incoming government to be careful when managing and using public funds and ensure every expenditure benefits the people.
She said the previous Perikatan Nasional (PN) government was irresponsible in financial management when funds used for the Covid-19 pandemic was not tabled in Parliament.
"The people only get to know about the millions, hundreds of millions, and the tens of billions already spend!
"It is bad and irresponsible management and governance when the books are not open to scrutiny," she said in a Facebook posting, recently.
Rafidah said the people have the right to know about every ringgit spend from the public coffers as it is money from taxes, fees and duties, among others.
"As such, we, the rakyat have the right to expect from the political management to ensure that every expenditure will benefit the rakyat, whether directly or indirectly.
"The new government must also be accountable for any expenditure and be open to scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and by Parliament," she asserted.
The veteran politician also warned that no expenditure should be on unnecessary, frivolous and ego-boosting events and programmes.
It is also necessary to set good example in managing public funds with integrity and a sense of responsibility, she added.
"No one will question the use of anybody's grandfather's money, or one's inheritance, or money earned honestly. But the rakyat will always question how the Government spends their (the Rakyat's) money."
