KUALA LUMPUR (March 22): Non-compliance with financial management resulted in issues of irregular payments amounting to RM1.299 billion, loss of public funds of RM11.45 million and a waste of RM8.87 million to the government in 2020. Auditor-General Datuk Seri Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid said that last year, the National Audit Department (NAD) conducted compliance audits of five federal agencies and submitted 19 recommendations for consideration for implementation. "As of Dec 31, 2021, a total of 140 financial statements had been audited and awarded the Auditor-General's Certificate, while seven financial statements were in the process of being audited. "A total of 109 financial statements were awarded the Clean Audit Certificate, 14 were awarded the Audit Certificate Based on Emphasis of Matter, and 17 were given the Audit Certificate with Reprimand," he said in a statement on the Auditor-General's Report (LKAN) here on Tuesday (March 22). The report was tabled in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday involving LKAN 2020 Series I on activities of ministries, federal departments and statutory bodies, financial statements and compliance audits of federal agencies for the year 2020. 20221 Required: (a) Based on the article above, attributes THREE nature assertions of compliance audits conducted by the National Audit Department. (9 marks) (b) Identify THREE powers of the Auditor General as mentioned in Section 7 of the Audit Act 1957. (6 marks) (c) A high level of accountability can be achieved through the attainment of actual achievement. Identify FIVE principles of effective accountability in the public sector. (10 marks) [TOTAL 25 MARKS] END OF PAGE