The Audit Report of Ministry of Foreign Affairs has revealed the Maldivian Embassy in Malaysia spent on medical expenses of staff from embassy funds.
The audit report of foreign ministry for the year 2018 stated while the policy allows diplomatic missions to use the funds of the missions for OPD services and for expenses outside the insurance coverage in countries where insurance is unavailable only, funds of the mission were used in a country where insurance was available. In this regard, the report revealed the funds were used despite staff medical insurance packages available for its staff.
The report indicated the then high commissioner and his wife spent USD 1,709 from embassy funds for medical checkups. Additionally, the then minister-counselor and his wife was reported to have spent USD 4,697 to acquire glasses.
According to the report, the expenses are a violation of the policy on allowances for staff working in foreign diplomatic missions. The report further stated bearing additional funding for medical expenses, while the staff are on a medical insurance paid by the state is a fraudulent policy. The Auditor General's Office called the foreign ministry to retrieve the funds spent by the then high commissioner and the minister-counselor.
The audit report further remarked various expenditures that violate the Public Accounts Act. Amongst the acts of mismanagement of funds include the funds collected by the diplomatic missions to make passports of Maldivians residing abroad. The report states the amounts collected were not properly documented and the balance of funds not transferred to Maldives Immigration were not properly documented. The report also stated the financial statements of the ministry were not disclosed properly.