PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has underscored the vital role of internal auditors in upholding institutional integrity, insisting that sound governance must be viewed as a national asset rather than a bureaucratic obligation.
Delivering the keynote address at the Asian Confederation of Institutes of Internal Auditors (ACIIA) Conference 2025 on Tuesday, Anwar addressed over 1,500 audit professionals from 26 countries gathered at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
“We must see governance not as a burden,” he said, “but as a strategic asset – the anchor of credibility in our markets, the magnet for investment, and the guarantee that progress will be shared fairly.”
He described auditors as playing a “central role in strengthening institutions and sustaining growth”, particularly as nations face compounded challenges from economic shocks, technological disruption and geopolitical uncertainty.
“Your work may not often make the headlines,” he told delegates, “but it underpins the health of markets, governments, and societies alike.”
Citing American statesman James Madison, the Prime Minister emphasised the enduring relevance of checks and balances in both government and corporate spheres. “Power must always be matched by responsibility, and authority by accountability,” he said.
Anwar connected these principles to the Malaysian government’s own reform efforts under the MADANI administration. Central to that, he said, was rebuilding public trust through institutional credibility.
“Ambition cannot endure without confidence in our institutions. Auditors – in both the public and private sectors – are central to safeguarding that confidence,” he noted.
He highlighted several key initiatives, including the first amendment to the Audit Act in over three decades, empowering the National Audit Department with wider oversight capabilities. The establishment of a Serious Irregularities Committee has, according to Anwar, already helped recover and safeguard RM159 million in public funds since 2024.
In early 2025, four new guidelines were issued extending audit jurisdiction to any organisation receiving public funds — a move aimed at improving fiscal accountability and curbing corruption.
“These may not be glamorous reforms,” Anwar acknowledged, “but they are essential to the integrity of our system.”
He also reaffirmed the government's commitment to good governance as a pillar of the 13th Malaysia Plan, which charts national economic priorities through 2030.
Collaboration with the private sector, he added, is equally vital. He commended the Institute of Internal Auditors Malaysia for its joint launch of the SORMIC Guide 2025 with Bursa Malaysia, calling it “an important step” in enhancing risk culture, investor confidence, and readiness for emerging regulatory challenges.
“As auditors, your calling is to ensure the system holds — even when under pressure. As leaders, our duty is to ensure that integrity is never optional,” he said.
Concluding his address, Anwar struck a hopeful tone, urging delegates to be stewards of reform and resilience.
“The responsibility before us is great, but the opportunity is greater still: to build institutions that earn trust at home, command respect abroad, and hand down a legacy of integrity to the generations to come.”
The ACIIA Conference 2025 is the largest of its kind in Asia and takes place as Malaysia chairs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). - Sept 9, 2025
