Misused public funds
Auditor-General finds Higher Education Ministry failed to recover RM183 million in unreturned university research grants
Confidence: Corroborated · 3 sourcesMalaysia · Sep 22, 2026
Subject of this story
Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Also named
Oversight
National Audit Department of Malaysia (Auditor-General)
Public Accounts Committee (Malaysia)
What happened
Malaysia's Auditor-General's Report 1/2026, tabled around February 23, 2026, identified 273 new financial governance issues across federal and state bodies, including RM183.11 million in unreturned research grants covering 7,904 projects at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), a public university under the Higher Education Ministry, which held the largest share of the flagged amount at RM110.67 million. The Public Accounts Committee subsequently summoned UKM and relevant ministries in July 2026 to answer for the auditor-general's governance findings.
Sources (3)
The StarAuditor-General's first report for 2026 reveals 273 new issues at federal and state levels
Malay MailIn first report of the year, Auditor-General flags serious revenue and expenditure irregularities at UKM
New Straits TimesPAC summons ministries, UKM over auditor general's governance findings
Response
Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia
Not yet contacted
Not yet contacted for this story.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)
Not yet contacted
Not yet contacted for this story.
What happened next (0)
No outcome recorded yet.