In a statement, PAC chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin said the committee expected the ministry to present its findings during the follow-up proceedings scheduled for September.

She also said the decision to appoint a third-party professional auditor reflected the ministry’s commitment to restoring public trust in HRD Corp.

“This proactive step by the ministry demonstrates that the human resources minister (Steven Sim) is committed to transparency,” she said.

“Although the issues highlighted by PAC and the auditor-general in the reports occurred before Sim’s tenure, his willingness to appoint an independent audit firm based on these findings should serve as an example for other Cabinet ministers.”

Yesterday, 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.

He said the independent audit would run alongside investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and other relevant authorities.

The 2024 auditor-general’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.