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The Auditor-General's Office has flagged approval, contract, grant, and IT control lapses across public agencies, along with possible irregularities involving contractor quotations. MOF said the Government accepted the findings and was tightening controls, while MOH and MOHH outlined corrective action over issues linked to the NCCS building project. 👉 https://tsl.to/findingsago @mustsharenews   Full Details: AGO Audit Findings & Government Response (July 2026)   The Auditor‑General’s Office (AGO) released its report for FY2025/26 on 15 July 2026, identifying 136 audit findings (29 classified as significant) across ministries, statutory boards, and government‑linked entities. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) confirmed the Government accepts all findings and is taking corrective action .       Overall Audit Status   - Unmodified opinion: Government Financial Statements were lawfully prepared in all material respects; public funds were properly accounted for . - Key issues flagged: unapproved project spending, contract/grant management weaknesses, IT control gaps, and possible irregularities in contractor quotations/audit records.       🔴 Key Case: National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) Project   Completed in 2022, this project had governance and procurement lapses by MOH and MOH Holdings (MOHH):   MOH’s Lapses   - Funded $35.34 million in items previously rejected or cut by the Development Planning Committee (DPC), believing approval was implied if total budget and floor area stayed within limits. - Called/awarded 12 tenders/quotations worth $30.83 million (including $26.31 million before formal project approval and MOF’s consent). - Did not declare $147.96 million in construction savings to MOF; used funds for unapproved works including the Outram Park MRT pedestrian link. - MOH stressed actions were “in good faith” with no intentional wrongdoing—root cause was misinterpreting MOF guidance.   MOHH’s Procurement Irregularities   - Failed to properly verify prices for “star‑rate items” (no pre‑agreed pricing, requiring independent quotes), creating falsification risks. - Police report lodged over quotation irregularities.   Corrective Actions   - MOH: Will seek explicit MOF concurrence before tendering; assess scope changes for approval; formalise mandatory savings reporting. - MOHH: Deploy digital quotation verification; expand internal audits; retrain staff/consultants; reassess costs and recover overpayments by Dec 2026; complete variation‑work audit by Mar 2027 before finalising accounts; use new pre‑approval checklists .       🟡 Other Agency‑Wide Lapses   Contract & Procurement Management   - HDB: Possible $9.7 million overpayment for unperformed car‑park patrols (implausible records like 10‑second multi‑storey patrols); $24.99 million in season parking grants given to ineligible applicants; Home Improvement Programme valuation errors. - URA: $1.76 million undercharged planning fees; $600,000 IT tender concerns; changed evaluation criteria post‑tender. - Cross‑agency: Weaknesses in evaluating variations, verifying work, retaining proof, and assessing star‑rate items. - Fixes: Central rate‑comparison repository; good‑practice guides; mandatory training for officers/consultants.   Training Grants (SWDA, formerly SSG/WSG)   - Misclassification: Non‑SMEs incorrectly marked as SMEs for Enhanced Training Support; 15 self‑funded trainees linked to their employers’ providers raised “gaming” risks . - Gaps: Eligibility checks, intermediary oversight, and scheme‑abuse prevention . - Fixes: Updated central guidelines; fraud‑awareness e‑learning; due‑diligence digital tools; ongoing case reviews .   Finance, Revenue & IT Controls   - Revenue: Lapses in tax/fee collection and error correction; agencies will tighten compliance . - Project spending: Commitments made without approval; agencies will formalise pre‑spending checks . - IT: Poor management of privileged accounts (elevated system access); agencies have strengthened access rules and monitoring . - Other: Procurement evaluation flaws, fee/payment mistakes, and incomplete conflict‑of‑interest declarations .       🟢 Government‑Wide Commitments   - False audit records: Serious misconduct—cases referred to police; officers face discipline including dismissal . - Follow‑up: Agencies will finish investigations, recover funds, and embed controls; MOF will share best practices and reinforce accountability .       Source: AGO Report FY2025/26; MOF, MOH, SWDA statements (14–15 Jul 2026)

SINGAPORE – Metro will close its department stores at Paragon and Causeway Point when their leases expire, following a strategic review of the group’s retail business. No timeline was provided on when the leases would end. In a Singapore Exchange filing on July 20, the mainboard-listed company said it is “evaluating a range of other retail formats, including smaller-format stores, multi-speciality concept stores, curated retail experiences and pop-up store initiatives”. Metro added that it is currently in discussions with its existing landlords, as well as other landlords, to roll out the new concept stores and intends to progressively transition from the current large-format department store model to a more flexible one, in response to customer preferences. In a statement, group chief executive Yip Hoong Mun noted that the group’s new retail strategy “is designed to meet customers’ evolving expectations while having greater flexibility to introduce new concepts, brands and partnerships”. Metro is still finalising the timeline for its new retail strategy and assessing its financial impact, which it is not yet able to quantify. However, it does not expect the transition to have a material impact on its net assets or earnings per share for the financial year ending March 31, 2027. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust, which completed the acquisition of Paragon on July 1, said in a statement that it is planning to optimise and selectively reconfigure certain areas in the mall to strengthen the tenant mix and introduce fresh concepts and experiences, including the areas currently occupied by Metro. Causeway Point’s landlord is Frasers Centrepoint Trust. Metro said the move will better position it to adapt to changing consumer preferences and opportunities in Singapore's retail sector, which continues to face a challenging operating environment, with consumer sentiment weighed down by inflationary pressures. In its results presentation for the year ended March 31, Metro said retail sales were expected to remain subdued and weigh on the performance of its department stores at Paragon and Causeway Point, as well as of its online platforms. The retailer, which also has a property business, had earlier reported that weaker sales at the two department stores dragged down group revenue and contributed to another year of losses.