KUALA LUMPUR – Asean must rise beyond being a mere geographical entity and take bold strides towards becoming a governance bloc if it is to meet the challenges of an increasingly volatile global landscape, Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said today.
Speaking through Auditor-General Datuk Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi at the opening of the Asean Auditors Conference 2025 held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), Shamsul said the region’s public service institutions must be agile, future-focused and prepared to turn global uncertainties into local reforms.
“As the global economy shifts, the public sector cannot afford to sit on the sidelines,” he said.
“With ongoing trade realignments, supply chain uncertainties, and great power rivalries, Asean must become more than a geographical bloc – we must become a governance bloc.”
The landmark event, held in tandem with the Asean Summit, gathered over 2,000 participants from audit institutions, regulators, accounting firms, corporations, and academia.
This alignment of policy discussions at the summit with implementation deliberations at the conference, Shamsul said, marks the region’s growing maturity in balancing shared prosperity with shared responsibility.
He added that good governance was no longer about control but about enabling trust – particularly at a time when Asean citizens are more connected, informed, and expect greater transparency.
“Our institutions must respond not with bureaucracy, but with boldness, openness and competence.”
Citing Malaysia’s five-pronged public sector reform agenda – encompassing value and governance, human capital, organisational development, service delivery and public-private synergy – Shamsul said the country’s experience could serve as a model adaptable to Asean’s diverse national contexts.
“Malaysia’s public sector reform is not just a domestic imperative. It is a regional opportunity,” he said.
The conference’s theme, “Inclusive and Sustainable Auditing for a Progressive Asean”, highlighted the growing role of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in shaping resilient economies.
Shamsul noted that Malaysia had expanded the Auditor General’s remit through amendments to the Audit Act 1957, enabling scrutiny of companies backed by government guarantees.
He also emphasised the strategic importance of follow-up audits in ensuring that public sector reforms translate into tangible outcomes, particularly in people-centric initiatives such as flood mitigation, digital education, and clean energy transition.
“We see a greater role for Asean’s public sector ecosystem – where auditors, policymakers and digital innovators co-create value,” he said.
As Asean moves to harmonise ESG audit frameworks and prepare for the disruptions of artificial intelligence, Shamsul urged SAIs to lead with foresight and collective will.
He expressed hope that such efforts would be reflected in improved anti-corruption metrics. Malaysia’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranking currently stands at 57th with a score of 50 points – unchanged from 2023. However, the government aims to reach the top 25 globally by 2033.
“From the policymaker in Putrajaya to the auditor in Vientiane, everyone has a role to play in delivering integrity, justice and opportunity,” he said.
“You are not just observers; you are drivers of change. You hold the mirror – but you also light the way forward.” – May 27, 2025