The Public Accounts Committee will probe seven ministries and departments after poring over the recommendations of the National Audit Department's 2010 Report during a three-hour meeting today.

The government entities to be investigated are the Health Ministry,  Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, Transport Ministry, Royal Customs and Revenue Department, Internal Revenue Board, Stadium Negara Corporation and the Science Technology and Innovation Ministry.

The list of those to be called before the committee for weaknesses in their financial standing, said PAC chief Azmi Khalid, would be finalised next week, he told reporters after the PAC meeting, at which Auditor-General Ambrin Buang gave a briefing.

The departments and ministries named above, said Azmi, are to be called to account for weaknesses in their financial management.

One major point of concern across the board for the government departments, said Azmi, is that the government seems to be having problems in the much-lauded transition to high technology.

“Of concern is that agencies that specialise in high technology and are supposed to lead the way in such matters seem to be experiencing the most problems in this regard.”

He gave the example of specialised equipment ordered from overseas which arrived before the purpose-built facilities to house these high-technology equipment are ready, which obviously created problems for the sensitive equipment.

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