Astana: Auditor-General Datuk Seri Wan Suraya Wan Mohd Radzi has been unanimously elected Secretary-General of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) for the 2027-2030 term, with Malaysia to host the organisation's Secretariat from 2027.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the National Audit Department (JAN) announced that this decision was made at the 63rd ASOSAI Governing Board Meeting held in Astana, Kazakhstan. This election marks Malaysia's return to holding the position after 44 years, with the last term in 1982.

"As Secretary-General, she will lead the ASOSAI Secretariat, which will be based in Malaysia starting from 2027. The National Audit Department of Malaysia will take over the responsibility from the National Audit Office of the People's Republic of China. The secretariat will coordinate the planning and implementation of all ASOSAI programmes, the affairs of the governing board, communication among members, as well as the administrative and financial management of the organisation," JAN stated.

JAN noted that Wan Suraya's election signifies the confidence ASOSAI Governing Board member states have in her leadership, particularly in areas such as capacity building, research, and the sharing of public sector auditing expertise. Since her appointment as Auditor-General in mid-2023, she has been leading strategic committees and working groups within ASEAN, ASOSAI, and the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI).

Her roles include participating in the ASEAN Audit Committee, the ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEANSAI) Knowledge Sharing Committee, the ASOSAI Working Group on State-Owned Enterprises Audit (WGSOEA), and the INTOSAI Working Group on Follow-up Audit (WGFA).

During the meeting in Astana, Wan Suraya presented a progress report on the ASOSAI WGSOEA, which Malaysia has chaired since 2024. The working group, consisting of 34 member countries, is the second largest within ASOSAI.

"WGSOEA is currently developing the ASOSAI Guidelines on State-Owned Enterprises Audit for the first time as a shared reference to strengthen the auditing and governance of state-owned enterprises at the regional level," stated JAN. The guidelines, which cover financial, compliance, and performance auditing specific to state-owned enterprises, are set to be launched at the 17th ASOSAI Assembly in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2027.

Furthermore, ASOSAI expressed its appreciation to Malaysia for its readiness to host a workshop titled 'Performance Audit on Public Works Projects' at the National Audit Academy in October 2026. This two-week workshop aims to enhance the capabilities of ASOSAI members' supreme audit institutions in conducting performance audits of public works projects.

JAN also reported that the working visit to Kazakhstan included the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the National Audit Department of Malaysia and the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea. This agreement focuses on the exchange of expertise, capacity building, and the use of technology and digital approaches in public sector auditing.

Wan Suraya engaged in bilateral meetings with counterparts from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, and Pakistan, and shared insights through a country paper titled 'Audit of Sustainable Development Impact Assessment and Public Engagement' at the International Scientific and Practical Conference.