Congratulations New Docs...

ARI wishes to congratulate two of our researchers who have been recently awarded their PhD degree. Dr Siti Noor Hayati Mohamed Zawawi completed a thesis in forensic accounting entitled "Antecedent of Behavioural Intention for Fraudulent Financial Reporting: Malaysian Evidence" from Universiti Teknologi MARA. Dr Norli Ali wrote a thesis in Financial Economics titled "Stock Overreaction & Stock Price Bubbles: Evidence From Malaysia" from Universiti Putra Malaysia. Congratulations

Renewed Vision for ARI

There certainly is a need to focus on developing preventive and deterrence strategies on fraud, particularly on financial criminology in Malaysia. There is currently a vacuum in this area of expertise. After attending the Fraud & Corruption Summit 2010, I really see how ARI can play a significant role in promoting expertise and training on financial criminology. There is a need for an inbtegrated approach where ARI can work closely with MACC, PDRM, Malaysian Institute of Integrity, Securities Commission, JAKIM, Bank Negara Malaysia, Auditor/Accountant General Office etc.

Meeting Andrew Jennings the Reporter

Andrew Jennings is an investigative reporter, writer and documentary filmmaker. He is best known for his work concerning corruption in sports organizations and the politics of international sports, particularly within FIFA and the International Olympic Committee.
The chance to meet him at the Fraud and Corruption Summit 2010 was a real priviledge for me. A very brave no-nonsense person. He was one of the speakers at the Summit - deliberating details of his investigation about corruption at FIFA. He has written several books which include: Scotland Yard's Cocaine Connection (1989), The Lords of the Rings (1992, 1996), The Great Olympic Swindle,(2000) and FOUL! The Secret World of FIFA: Bribes, Vote-Rigging and Ticket Scandals, (2006). Combatting fraud is not easy, one lesson I learned from him is the need to be brave and persistence; know and get your fact and ask lots of questions. Andrew Jennings is the one on the right...

Training in Criminology

I am currently attending the Fraud and Corruption Summit 2010 in London. It’s a three day training session where participants learn from experts on strategies for fraud prevention, detection, deterrence and investigation strategies. For me, it has been a great opportunity to network with other global researchers. From the first day session itself, I have identified several feasible research topics on financial criminology that could be undertaken by our researchers: Ethical Risk Assessment, Global Ethics and Integrity Benchmark, Effective Integrity Assessment, Survey on Fraud Victims of their Experience and Impact, Fraud and Economic Impact Assessment, Procurement Fraud in the Public Sector, Tax Fraud Assessment etc.

Trip to Manchester

Things have changed so much in Manchester compared to how it was 20 years ago when I enrolled as a PhD student at the end of 1989.More buildings are being built and the transportation services have improved many folds. A visit to my alma mater Manchester Metropolitan University Business School brought fond memories. The Business school has grown so much and I was told by my former supervisor Graham Holt that the Business School will soon move to a another bigger location at the All Saint campus. The universy status bestowed upon them in 1992 has certainly brought new research culture. There are now so many renowned professors being appointed at the business school. My visit and discussions with Graham Holt have resulted in potential collaboration between MMU and UiTM.

Visit to Teesside's CFI

University of Teesside has recently won a double accolade as "University of the Year" and "Outstanding Employer Engagement Initiative" in the Times Higher Education awards.
One of the most outstanding programs offered at the university is its Crime, Forensic and Policing. The University offers a wide range of courses in crime, forensic investigation – and policing both nationally and internationally. ARI's own Forensic Accounting Research Centre is a collaboration with Teesside University. As opportunity ensues, one of the programs arranged during my UK visit was to meet up with up with researchers at Teesside - to discuss possible collaborative research in financial criminology.

Corporate Integrity System Roundtable

The Malaysian Institute of Integrity (MII) initiated a rountable meeting today with various organisations to discuss the development of Corporate Integrity Syatem (CIS)Framework for the country.
Participating organisations include among others the Securities Commissions (SC), Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA), Bursa Malaysia, Minority Shareholders Watchdog Group (MSWG), Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance (MICG), Tran sparency International (TI), Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC), Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC), CIDB, SUHAKAM, UiTM, Nottingham University Business School (NUBS). The Committee is given two years to realize the CIS framework. As a director of ARI, I have been assigned to undertake research related to the development of CIS among public listed companies in Malaysia

We Will Miss You Jane

Associate Professor Jane Lazar has written many books on Company Accounts, Financial Reporting, Financial Statement Analysis and conducted various research on IFRS. She is retiring and plans to spend more time with her family. To many of us at ARI, she was once our own lecturer, then a colleague. But she is best noted as a mentor to us. We wish you happiness and God bless you always.....

Collaborative Professional Program in Taxation

Representatives from the Faculty of Accountancy and the Malaysian Institute of Taxation (MIT) had recently met to discuss possible professional collaboration in taxation.
The enhancement program would require final year Bachelor of Accountancy students to take additional taxation courses that would allow them to become tax consultants.

Forensic Laboratory at ARI

As a MOHE Centre of Excellence, ARI's request to set up a forensic lab has been recently approved. ARI hopes to purchase equipment such as polygraph machines, audit trail analyzer, document identifier and finger print identifier to equip the lab. I will be visiting the forensic laboratory at Teesside University in the United Kingdom to benchmark. Teesside's Forensic Crime Institute (FCI) is globally well knowned and its laboratories are fully accredited to allow FCI to provide forensic training to various regulatory and enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom.