Human resources minister Steven Sim said a third-party professional auditor would be appointed by July 31 to review all processes and documentation related to the issues raised in the reports by PAC and the audit department.

“The timeline for the audit and the publication of a report will be determined once the auditor is appointed,” he said in a statement today.

“This independent audit will run concurrently with investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and other relevant authorities.

“HRD Corp has been directed to fully cooperate with all parties involved.”

Sim also said a special task force, led by the ministry’s secretary-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud, has been established to facilitate investigations, review the reports and findings from MACC, and oversee the independent audit.

“This special task force will ensure that follow-up actions, including the necessary improvements, are implemented,” he said.

Yesterday, MACC officials visited HRD Corp’s office and seized three boxes of documents believed to be linked to the findings in the auditor-general’s (A-G) report.

The 2024 A-G’s report, released last week, found that HRD Corp had failed to carry out its responsibility to collect RM205.42 million in mandatory levies owed by 21,058 employers.

HRD Corp also amended its key performance indicator goals for 2020 to 2023 without the approval of its board of directors.

PAC meanwhile revealed that the company’s investment panel had not reported its investment activities appropriately to its board of directors, with levies collected “aggressively” used for high-risk investments.