Rafidah said it was mind-boggling to learn from the report just how pervasive was the absence of integrity in Malaysian society; no sector seemed to have been untouched by the “toxicity of abuses of power”.

In a statement, she said: “The latest audit report has unearthed such diversions from good governance involving billions of ringgits, and it is all public funds. Such leakages, diversions, and pilferings must be seriously tackled.

“There are those among whom we entrust with looking after key areas of national interests who have betrayed that trust. They have been found to be negligent, remiss, incompetent, and downright corrupt, with blatant abuses of authority.

“We have to put a stop to having foxes guarding the chicken coops, and to ingrain within the broader education structures the culture of integrity, which is seriously being eroded.”

Rafidah, a former minister for international trade and industry in Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s government, suggested a review of existing procedures, procurement practices, points of authority, and decision-making processes.

She also called for a halt to the setting up of new boards and agencies which cater to numerous subsectors and activities. The agencies and people identified in the audit report should be investigated, she said.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is currently investigating complaints about the Human Resource Development Corporation management; the audit report said the management’s actions and decisions did not comply with procedures and failed to protect the company’s interests.

The report also highlighted the misuse of RM373,516 by two trustees of the National Professors Council to finance the operations of two companies in which they held shares. Other projects highlighted were the River of Life project in the Klang Valley; the RM286.3 million losses suffered by Mara Incorporated; the RM181.5 million loss of MRT Corporation in 2023 and its accumulated losses of RM57.6 billion since it was established in 2011.