IN THE wake of such corporate disasters as the Enron Corp                                                                                             
case and the all-too familiar business shenanigans closer                                                                                             
to home, the internal auditors community in Malaysia has                                                                                              
decided to team UP with the Malaysian Institute of                                                                                                    
Management (MIM) to try and restore some semblance of                                                                                                 
dignity to the profession by reintroducing the Diploma in                                                                                             
Management Programme (Internal Auditing) for its members.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Clearly what has gone awry with the internal auditor's role                                                                                           
today?                                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
As remarked by a practitioner," the common view is that we                                                                                            
internal auditors only go in to bayonet all those that are                                                                                            
still half-alive after going through a very tough time in                                                                                             
the company".                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
But as observed by another, it is this misplaced notion                                                                                               
that has, not done justice to the profession.  A paradigm                                                                                             
shift has to Occur according to this person.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
It is being directed at positioning the internal audit                                                                                                
function alongside the strategic and development activities                                                                                           
in the company.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
What this means is that the internal auditors must now "not                                                                                           
only value to the organisation, but must increase their                                                                                               
focus in terms, of risk management, control, assurance and                                                                                            
organisational governance processes".                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
Following this new approach, the profession itself is                                                                                                 
undergoing a revamp in terms of revising its Standards for                                                                                            
Professional Practice and bringing this in line with                                                                                                  
current practices world- wide.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
The most recent step that the Malaysian body, the Institute                                                                                           
of Internal Auditors (IIA) has taken is to revisit a                                                                                                  
collaboration programme with the MIM launched in 1995, and                                                                                            
revive it to include the following unique features:                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
* It will become the only diploma programme, recognized by                                                                                            
the body for direct entry into its Qualifying Examination;                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
* modular subjects are offered to provide flexibility to                                                                                              
working people;                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
* the two institutions, the MIM and the IIA, will provide                                                                                             
qualified and experienced lecturers; and                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
* provide a time frame of six months or up to four years                                                                                              
'and opportunities for networking among members of the                                                                                                
institute and the professional body.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
The MIM Diploma in Management has been gaining wide                                                                                                   
acceptance by managers throughout the country as a                                                                                                    
stepping-stone to rise up their career ladders.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
It is a two-year non-residential part-time study programme.                                                                                           
Subjects taught include, Principles and Practices of                                                                                                  
Management Business Environment and Organisational                                                                                                    
Behaviour, Information Technology and Decision Analysis,                                                                                              
Financial Management, Management Strategies and current                                                                                               
management skills and tools.                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
The programme sets out to familiarise the managers with the                                                                                           
knowledge and experiences gained in the workplace.                                                                                                    
Generally the programme has been designed with management                                                                                             
development in mind.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
A more recent development has been to offer online and                                                                                                
multimedia versions of the programme to managers. This has                                                                                            
been well-received by managers keen on continuing with                                                                                                
lifelong learning.                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
The Diploma in Management Programme (Internal Auditing)                                                                                               
will feature the five modules from the MIM curriculum and                                                                                             
three modules from the Internal Auditing scheme, that is,                                                                                             
Principles and Practices of Internal Auditing, Operational                                                                                            
Auditing and Corporate Governance.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
The collaboration between the two bodies will also pave the                                                                                           
way for MIM to offer more innovative products in line with                                                                                            
its aim to become the national management organisation and                                                                                            
the excellence centre for management professionals in the                                                                                             
country.                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
In various stages of planning is Diploma in Management with                                                                                           
majors in either e-Business, General Management, Finance or                                                                                           
Human Resource Management.                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
For the IIA, the Programme will add to, the value of the                                                                                              
manager by raising his competencies in management thinking                                                                                            
and practices as well as providing him a better grasp of                                                                                              
business threats and internal controls.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
MIM is holding a special preview of the Diploma in                                                                                                    
Management (Internal Auditing) on Wednesday, February 27,                                                                                             
at management House in Jalan Ampang, starting at 6.30pm.                                                                                              
All are invited and admission is free.