KUALA LUMPUR: All ministry secretaries-general and department and government agency directors-general have been ordered on cost-cutting measures, including hosting events only at government facilities.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali said all government heads must spend prudently, in line with the need to reduce the government's financial commitments and avoid wastage of resources.
"Public expenditure should be carried out with frugality, simplicity, and in line with the actual needs, to reduce the government's financial commitments and avoid resource wastage.
"In this regard, instructions have been issued (in a circular) to all secretaries-generals of ministries and directors-general of government departments and agencies to implement control over public expenditure," he said in a statement posted on his Facebook.
Zuki also shared pictures of the circular titled "Treasury Circular 3.1 (Amendment 2022) — Guidelines for Public Expenditure Savings".
The circular encompasses, among other things, the necessity of restricting official events, meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops to those deemed genuinely essential, with a preference for conducting these activities at government facilities, centres, and public training institutions.
Public servants are also advised to avoid wastage of food and beverages during meetings or programmes, and to conduct online meetings and teleconferencing to reduce logistic expenses, optimise time and cut down on travel demands.
The guidelines also specify the necessity of booking flight tickets based on the principle of "value for money", promoting early planning and encouraging the use of corporate credit cards.
Security personnel must also adhere to official travel regulations when travelling abroad, as specified in the Cabinet Secretary's Directive No. 1 (2021) and the clarifications within PB 3.01 (amendment 2022).
This includes attending meetings, scheduled/periodic discussions, or conferences that have been approved in the annual budget and are truly essential, offering significant benefits to the nation's interests or meetings or conferences that have been approved by the cabinet.
Security personnel are urged to fulfil their duties and responsibilities in accordance with Section 15a of the Financial Procedure Act 1957 when handling financial matters, as failure to comply with all applicable financial regulations may lead to strict actions being initiated under Section 18 of Act 61.
