The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has been taken to task for its lack of updates on what actions are being taken against cases cited in the periodic auditor-general's reports.

This follows the release this month of the second auditor-general's report 2015, with the revelations coming as no surprise, said NGO C4's executive director Cynthia Gabriel said today.

"As we have predicted, leakages, weaknesses in management and abuse of public funds continue to take place," Gabriel lamented in a statement.

She cited for example a number of high profile cases, including the latest case where Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) procurement contracts worth RM148.42 million were found to be signed without proper authorisation.

Other high profile cases, she said, include the cases related to the Sports Ministry and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).

Gabriel said while a check on MACC's website, updated until October, shows 740 arrests for various corruption cases, 430 of whom are civil servants, progress on the big cases she cited was unclear.

"Searching the Public Prosecutor's Office website, on the section for case status and decisions, updates are only made up to August 2012.

"If not mistaken, the Public Prosecutor's Office has brought several charges on various culprits after completing investigations, but what of the big cases (I mentioned)?

"Have no charges been brought, or is the website not being updated?" she asked.

Transparency in probes needed

"And what about the auditor-general's reports that report abuses and leakages each year?

"Why haven't we heard of any action or charges brought upon individuals involved in the leakages?

"The principle of accountability should be applied by exposing all wrongdoings, and individuals responsible for them should be brought to justice.

"They shouldn't merely be handed disciplinary action or transferred," Gabriel said.

She said the government should be serious in taking action against abuse of public funds and be forthcoming in updating the public on what action is being taken, in order to regain the trust of the public.

"A culture of transparency needs to be instilled by informing the public about the progress on every case reported by the authorities and the audit department," she said.