Exploring Financial Performance and Audit Opinions in Indonesian Central Government Agencies
Exploring Financial Performance and Audit Opinions in Indonesian Central Government Agencies
Exploring Financial Performance and Audit Opinions in Indonesian Central Government Agencies
Adam Zakaria
[email protected]
Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Jl. R.Mangun Muka Raya, Jakarta Timur, DKI Jakarta, Indonesia
ABSTRACT
This research aims to develop an accurate prediction model for determining the audit
opinions issued by the State Audit Agency based on various factors, such as leverage ratios,
solvency ratios, liquidity ratios, revenue effectiveness ratios, expenditure efficiency ratios,
and surplus. Observations were conducted on 254 audit financial reports from the period
2017 to 2019 from 86 central government agencies. The resulting prediction model
complies with the specified model requirements. Out of the six independent variables
tested, only two were found to have a statistically significant impact on their audit
opinions, namely liquidity ratios and revenue effectiveness ratios. Meanwhile, the other
four variables, including leverage ratios, solvency ratios, expenditure efficiency ratios, and
surplus, did not have a statistically significant effect. The results of this study provide
insights to ministries and government agencies regarding the importance of financial
performance in predicting audit opinions.
Keywords : Bureaucratic Reform; Public Sector Audit; Financial Performances;
State Revenue; Fund Management
ABSTRAK
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan model prediksi yang tepat untuk
menentukan opini audit Badan Pemeriksa Keuangan berdasarkan berbagai faktor, seperti
rasio leverage, rasio solvabilitas, rasio likuiditas, rasio efektivitas pendapatan, rasio efisiensi
pengeluaran, dan surplus. Pengamatan dilakukan pada 254 laporan keuangan audit dari
periode 2017–2019 yang berasal dari 86 instansi pemerintah pusat. Model prediksi yang
dihasilkan mematuhi persyaratan yang ditetapkan. Dari enam variabel independen yang
diuji, hanya dua yang terbukti memiliki pengaruh signifikan terhadap opini audit, yaitu rasio
likuiditas dan rasio efektivitas pendapatan. Sementara empat variabel lainnya, yaitu rasio
leverage, rasio solvabilitas, rasio efisiensi pengeluaran, dan surplus, tidak memiliki pengaruh
yang signifikan secara statistik. Hasil studi ini memberikan wawasan kepada kementerian
dan lembaga pemerintah tentang pentingnya kinerja keuangan dalam memprediksi opini
audit.
Kata Kunci : Reformasi Birokrasi; Audit Sektor Publik; Kinerja Keuangan;
Pendapatan Negara; Manajemen Dana
Unlike in private sector, financial audits in public sector have broader objectives
because it is conducted for the purposes of to examine the effectiveness of internal control,
to sustain accountability of the entity operations, and to report the compliance with
statutory on budgeting and accountability to the stakeholders (Ånerud 2007, McCandless
1993). The demand of accountability from citizens in public assets utilization which
managed by government entities is the agency theory and management control
implementation issue in public sector audit so that can reduce agency costs (Hay and
Cordery 2018). The Indonesian government continues to implement a bureaucratic
reform programme, which represents a major change in the governance paradigm. This
reorganisation is a breakthrough in facing the sizeable challenges of the 21st century and
involves all government employees with large budgets.
The programme seeks to modernise various regulations, policies, and management
practices of central and local governments, as well as to adapt government duties and
functions to new paradigms. According to the Indonesian Ministry of State Apparatus
Utilization and Bureaucratic, the bureaucratic reform programme aims to create a
professional government bureaucracy that has a good character, is well integrated,
delivers a high performance, is free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism, can serve
the public, is neutral, prosperous, and dedicated, and upholds the basic values and code of
ethics of the state apparatus.
The Indonesian Ministry of State Apparatus Utilization and Bureaucratic launched
the development of an integrity zone programme, moving towards a corruption-free zone
or clean/serving bureaucratic zone nationally within all the central and local governments.
This sustainable programme was initiated in the reform era with the issuance of The
People's Consultative Assembly No. XI/1998 concerning a State Organizer that is Clean
and Free from corruption, collusion and nepotism, and Law No. 28 of 1999 concerning the
Implementation of a State Organizer that is Clean and Free from corruption, collusion, and
nepotism. It also included the issuance of the State Finance Law Package, which consists
of Law No. 17 of 2003 Regarding State Finance, Law No. 1 of 2004 concerning the State
Treasury and Law No. 15 of 2004 concerning the Audit of State Financial Management and
Accountability.
Awareness of the need for efficient, effective, professional, transparent, and
responsible Public Financial Management (PFM) continues to be disseminated. Public
funds are managed at the central government agencies and local government levels (level
I at the Regency and City, and level II at Province). The government is currently carrying
out a process of structural reforms, deregulation, and simplification of procedures. This
requires the support of various auditors including the Corruption Eradication
Commission, the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia, and internal auditors in both
central and local governments, as well as public participation.
It is hoped that awareness of the use of public funds will continue to increase,
encourage national economic growth, and contribute to the building of people’s welfare
(kabar24.com 2020). In the 2017–2019 financial statements, the value of the State
Revenue and Expenditure Budget showed a positive trend and was recorded as Rp. 1,750
trillion, Rp. 1,894 trillion and Rp. 2,165 trillion, respectively. These amounts were
allocated to the central government agencies to carry out the programme (Indonesian
Ministry of Finance 2019).
The preparation of government financial statements is required to follow the
Indonesian Government Accounting Standards, which regulate accountability for
management and reporting. By following the standards correctly and ensuring there is
Jurnal Ilmu Keuangan dan Perbankan (JIKA) 12
adequate disclosure, compliance with laws and regulations and an effective internal
control system, a government entity will obtain an assessment of the fairness of its
financial statements with an unqualified audit opinion. The development of Government
Accounting Standards began with the issuance of Government Regulation of the Republic
of Indonesia Number 24/2005 concerning Government Accounting Standards. These
standards were later updated by Government Regulation Number 71/2010 related to the
application of the accrual basis in a government accounting system and continued to the
most recent 2019 version of Government Accounting Standards.
However, it is not widely known by all parties that an assessment of the fairness of
the financial statements of central and local governments does not necessarily mean that
the management of activities is free from corruption. Due to limited number of staffs with
competence in accounting and finance, a mandatory program must be provided for them
either in formal or special training program. This program will increase a quality of
financial reporting in local government by higher transparency index (Boner and Walker
1994; Misra 2008). The audit opinion released is based on audit procedures carried out
based on the State Financial Audit Standards. It includes the professional judgement of an
auditor, which sometimes contains a subjective interpretation of the laws and regulations.
Moreover, various cases certainly require valid treatment, and this requires
professional judgement, competence, and experience. To ensure quality control and
quality assurance in the assignment of state financial audits, it must be based on and
guided by the mandate of the law, a code of ethics, the State Financial Audit Standards, the
quality confidence acquisition system, audit management guidelines, audit support
management guidelines, implementation instructions, non-inspection guidelines,
technical instructions, and standard operating procedures/work instructions.
The Indonesian central government agencies, with their various characteristics,
can be identified from the value of their total assets, number of employees, representative
offices, and capital structure. These elements are among the characteristics of local
governments that must be considered if a region is seeking to develop policies on regional
development. Each of their financial management of the allocated budget is reported and
audited by Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia. Furthermore, consolidated financial
statements of all Indonesian central government agencies is also prepared and audited.
Rahayu dan Salman Jumaili (2018) compared financial ratios of the consolidated financial
statements and found that for 2004-2016 period, the highest level of the liquidity ratio
occurred in 2008 whilst the lowest solvability ratio of equities occurred in 2006.
Other ratios like solvency ratio of assets reached the lowest point in 2012, the
effectiveness income ratio peaked in 2008, and expenditure efficiency ratio reached the
lowest point in 2016. This paper identified better progress of the good governance practice
in Indonesia. From the first time that consolidated financial statements been audited in
2004, the results are varies. Started in 2004-2008 period, disclaimer opinion given by
Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia, continued in 2009-2015 period with qualified
opinion, and unqualified opinion released for 2016-2021 period.
According to a press release from the Bureau of Public Relations and International
Cooperation of the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia (the Audit Board of the
Republic of Indonesia, 2020), they issued an unqualified opinion for the central
government financial statements of 2019, a total of 84 out of 87 central government
agencies financial statements were given an unqualified opinion compared to 81 in 2018,
two agencies had a qualified opinion and one agency received a disclaimer opinion. This
large majority of unqualified opinions could certainly be seen as a success for Government
Accounting Standards compliance. However, based on the findings of Indonesian
Corruption Watch (ICW), the five sectors identified as containing the most corruption in
Jurnal Ilmu Keuangan dan Perbankan (JIKA) 13
2018 were village fund infrastructure, government, education infrastructure,
transportation and health (Gabrillin 2020).
There continues to be only a very limited amount of research into audit opinions
on the financial statements of central government agencies in Indonesia. Huge amounts of
the public funds that are managed involve all aspects of people’s lives, while the demands
for transparency and accountability in PFM are very large. This situation differs from that
found in developed countries, where the management of public funds is a serious concern
for all stakeholders and both the people, and their representatives seek to properly
exercise control.
Furthermore, PFM conducted with transparency and accountability reduces the
risk of misuse of allocation and spending, as well as providing benefits for all parties,
thereby increasing people’s welfare. This study aims to (1) obtain new results for the
various factors tested using financial statement data from all central government agencies
regarding the determinants of their audit opinion, and (2) identify benefits from the
implications of the research findings to bring to the attention of central government
agencies so that each of them can manage its activities more professionally, transparently
and responsibly, particularly in relation to the financial aspect so that it can safeguard the
state’s assets.
Theoretical Framework
Agency problem occurred both in private and public sector. In public sector,
citizens as principal delegates their authority to the agent, the government has greater
access in managing public funds rather than citizens so that it can potentially cause
information asymmetry. Running programs for the purpose of providing welfare to the
citizens, however, government possibly cannot be trusted in wholly comply to all rules.
Therefore, by increasing accountability and transparency, a good governance practice in
financial management of the state will lower the opportunity in abuse of power
(Zimmerman 1977; Dixit 2002; Setiawan 2012; Agusti 2014; De Oliveira and Dan Filho
2017). Moreover, government has advantages in publishing their achievements for their
interests so that can determine audit evidence to be verified. By conducting public sector
audit is expected to reduce agency costs which represented by the loss of wealth caused
by management’s decisions (Jahera and Colbert 1988; Dixit 2002; Hay and Cordery 2018).
Related to signalling theory, the objective of government in providing good signal
to citizens is to convince them to support government in running their programs.
Therefore, government needs to provide a transparent and accountable financial
information which can reduce information asymmetry. A higher disclosure of financial
performance can be seen as government responsible in fulfilling information to the public
and be as a promotional way to their political agenda. Those can be achieved through
publishing a quality financial statement that leads to getting unqualified audit opinion and
supported by the implementation of good internal control system in government financial
management. Therefore, it shows a good signal to the stakeholders (Evans and Patton
1987; Hilmi dan Martani 2012; Agusti 2014; Arifin dan Fitriasari 2014; Setyaningrum
2015).
Financial Performance
The UK government, Parliament, and the National Audit Office work together and
closely to ensure that the spending of taxpayers’ money is managed efficiently and
effectively, following the principle of value for money. The existing budgeting system also
ensures that public spending is controlled. The three elements of the budgeting process
are planning, spending and performance control. Using a collective set of processes, the
Governmental Audit
Auditing is the accumulation and evaluation of evidence about information to
determine and report on the degree of correspondence between the information and
established criteria, and it should be done by a competent, independent person (Elder et
al. 2020). Audit program implements relevant procedures then report the management’s
Jurnal Ilmu Keuangan dan Perbankan (JIKA) 17
financial assertions of an entity. Publishing audit opinion on government financial
statements is based on criteria such as comply to governmental accounting standards and
rules, adequate disclosure, and effective internal control system. This refers to Law of
Republic Indonesia Number 15/2004 concerning Audit of State Management and Finance
Responsibility article 16: section (1) regarding audit opinion in government audit report.
The State Financial Audit Standards (2017) explained that the audit is a process of
problem identification, analysis and evaluation carried out independently, objectively, and
professionally based on audit standards, to assess the truth, accuracy, credibility, and
reliability of information regarding the management and responsibility of state finances.
The output of a government audit is an audit report. The audit report is a written report
from an audit process containing the results of the analysis of the evidence obtained. It is
given to parties including representative institutions, the central government agencies and
other parties who have an interest in it. For this reason, in the audit result report, each
audit must draw up a conclusion as the answer to the audit objectives. The audit opinions
issued are unqualified, qualified, adverse and disclaimer. The preparation of an audit
report is one of the obligations of government auditors, as stated in Auditing Standards
Statement 300 concerning Audit Reporting Standards in the areas of financial audit,
performance audit and audit for a specific purpose (The State Financial Audit Standards,
2017).
An audit required assurance on financial economic condition of government
entities. The supreme audit board plays an important role in auditing government
agencies because they are promoted as a tool for combating corruptions and frauds. The
absence of accountability and transparency will lead to the occurrence of corruptions and
frauds (Dye, 2007). However, changes in demand of audit in public sector and better public
management followed by strengthen audit role in government position This condition
increases the credibility of government auditors regarding their independence in
maintaining credibility and legitimacy (Gendron, et al. 2001; Pearson 2014).
Studies regarding audit opinion released by the Audit Board of the Republic of
Indonesia for central government agencies and local government determined by many
factors. The quality of audit assignment revealed by recommendations for further actions
conducted by auditee and effectively benefits them from follow-up of audit findings to
avoid similar mistakes occurred in the future (Dwiputranti 2008; Umar 2012;
Setyaningrum 2015). In central government agencies, significant factors that affect audit
opinion are financial ratio such as spending efficiency, human resource aspect like
accounting and finance operator/staff, audit findings, and follow-up of audit findings
(Agusti 2014; Winanti 2014; Sari et al. 2015; Setyaningrum 2015; Wibowo 2019).
Meanwhile, the significant factors that influence audit opinion in local government
level include financial performance, wealth, expenditure, local income, capital
expenditure, efficiency and effectiveness of budget absorption, growth rate, activity ratio,
fiscal decentralization, level of dependence to central government, tenure, size, number of
population, budget proportion, previous year of audit opinion, total loss of local budget,
follow-up on audit findings, weakness of accounting and reporting control system, non-
compliance with laws and regulations, administrative irregularities, weakness of internal
control system, Finance and Development Supervisory Agency assistance, and non-
conformance with the Government Accounting Standards (GAS) (Fatimah et al. 2014;
Nuraeni 2014; Nurdiono 2014; Istiyanto 2016; Pratiwi dan Aryani 2016; Kusumawati dan
Ratmono 2017; Putry and Badrudin 2017; Muraiya dan Nadirsyah 2018; Pamungkas et al.
2018; Pamungkas et al. 2019).
Surplus (X6)
Source: Data processed, 2023
RESEARCH METHOD
In this study, the research object is the population of all central government
agencies of the Republic of Indonesia audited by the Audit Board of the Republic of
Indonesia during the period 2017–2019, consisting of 89 government institutions
(Appendix 1. List of Central Government Agencies in Indonesia 2017-2019), encompassing
state institutions, central government institutions (ministries and non-ministerial
institutions), coordinating ministries, and cabinet-level agencies. This time frame was
chosen due to its pre-COVID-19 conditions, ensuring that the financial status of central
government agencies remained stable.
Data collection involved the acquisition of complete financial statements through
two methods: (1) Downloads from the official websites of all central government agencies,
which provided half of the required data, and (2) Correspondence with the Information
and Communication Centre of the Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia, which supplied
the remaining data. Both methods were executed in May 2021, resulting in the collection
of 258 financial reports from 86 ministries and institutions.
The type of data collected for this study was panel data, with the following sample
criteria: (1) Indonesian central government agencies that continuously operated and did
not undergo liquidation or dissolution during 2017–2019, (2) Indonesian central
government agencies that published audited financial statements during 2017–2019, and
(3) Financial statements that included ministry-level agencies led by a Minister or Head of
State Institution.
To test the proposed hypotheses, the researcher employed a panel regression
model as outlined in Equation 1.
In this model in Equation 1., several variables are considered. First, OPIN (Y) stands
for the Audit Opinion, categorized as Unqualified = 4, Qualified = 3, Adverse = 2, and
Disclaimer = 1, representing different levels of audit opinions. Second, LEV (X 1) represents
This study used a quantitative analytical method with analytical techniques in the
form of descriptive statistics, along with regression analysis using panel data and EViews
9 software. Referring to the criteria, only 86 out of 89 agencies met the sample criteria.
Three agencies, namely Sidoarjo Mudflow Mitigation Agency, Pancasila Ideology
Development Agency, and State Treasurer, were therefore removed from the observation.
The reasons for their respective exclusions were liquidation, starting in 2018; being newly
established in 2019; and being part of the Ministry of Finance led by a Director General of
Treasury. In total, 258 financial reports were obtained from 86 ministries and agencies.
After testing for outliers, 224 observations were ultimately used in this study.
Descriptive statistical analysis aims to describe the factors used in this study,
meaning it is a useful technique for analysing the data. Table 1 contains a summary of the
descriptive statistics.
Y X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6
Mean 3.964.286 1677.253 0.019220 55.77281 1.71E+09 1.256027 -
8.39E+12
Median 4.000.000 189.0900 0.005200 5.670000 2.750000 0.940000 -
1.23E+12
Maximum 4.000.000 119222.2 0.834100 5627.900 5.31E+10 47.03000 6.05E+13
Minimum 3.000.000 2.200000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.010000 -
1.46E+14
Std. Dev. 0.185992 10299.10 0.061097 387.4143 5.64E+09 3.519880 2.19E+13
Skewness -5.003702 10.28701 10.92983 13.51021 6.177484 11.44350 -3.020353
Kurtosis 26.03704 109.9494 143.1430 193.1538 47.98972 139.6783 15.54491
The data show that there is a large difference between the minimum and maximum
values with a median value greater than the mean value for the audit opinion variable,
revenue effectiveness ratio and surplus, thus indicating that the values appearing in most
observations are above the central government agencies mean. Inversely, a smaller
median than mean value is found for the leverage ratio, liquidity ratio, solvency ratio and
Jurnal Ilmu Keuangan dan Perbankan (JIKA) 21
expenditure efficiency ratio, meaning that the median values that occur in most
observations are below the agencies mean. Moving forward, this study proceeds with
several crucial steps in its analysis. Firstly, in estimating the regression model, panel data
is utilized, employing three distinct approaches: the common effect model, fixed effect
model, and random effect model. Each of these models serves as a valuable tool in
examining the research hypotheses from different perspectives, offering a comprehensive
understanding of the relationships under investigation.
Following the estimation process, the study undertakes two significant tests,
namely the Chow test and the Hausman test. These tests are pivotal in determining the
most appropriate and robust estimation model for the analysis. The Chow test assesses
structural stability within the model, while the Hausman test aids in selecting between
fixed and random effect models, ensuring the chosen model aligns optimally with the
research objectives and data characteristics. These steps collectively contribute to the
rigor and validity of the study's findings and conclusions.
Table 2. contains a comparison of the three regression model estimation
approaches, namely the common effect model (on the left), the fixed effect model (in the
center), and the random effect model (on the right).
Dependant variable: Y
Method: Panel Least Squares
Date: 10/07/21 Time: 18.58
Sample: 2017 2019
Period included: 3
Cross-sections included: 75
Total Panel (Unbalanced) Observation: 224
Table 2a.
Table 2b.
Table 2c.
The comparison in Table 2 reveals that the adjusted R2 values from the regression
results are 3.3% for the common effect model, 19.66% for the fixed effect model, and 3.3%
for the random effect model. Consequently, the fixed effect model demonstrates the
highest adjusted R2 value in the regression analysis. The subsequent step involves
applying the Chow test and the Hausman test to select the appropriate estimation model.
The Chow test was utilized to determine the better-fitting model between the common
effect model and the fixed effect model. The following hypotheses were used in the Chow
test: if the probability value is greater than the alpha value, Ho is accepted, and the
common effect model is employed as the estimation model. Conversely, if the probability
value is less than the alpha value, Ho is rejected, and the fixed effect model is used as the
estimation model. Table 3. shows the results of the Chow test.
The results in Table 3 indicate that the obtained probability value is less than 5%.
Therefore, the model that fulfills the hypothesis for the method selection is the fixed effect
model.
Subsequently, the Hausman test was performed to determine the preferable model
between the fixed effect model and the random effect model. The following hypotheses
were applied in the Hausman test: if the probability value exceeds the alpha value, Ho is
accepted, and the random effect model serves as the estimation model. Conversely, if the
probability value is less than the alpha value, Ho is rejected, and the fixed effect model is
utilized as the estimation model. Table 4. shows the results of the Hausman test.
Based on the results in Table 4., the probability value obtained is smaller than 5%,
which means the model that meets the hypothesis for the method to be used is the fixed
effect model. Thus, both the Chow and Hausman tests reach the same conclusion, namely
that the fixed effect model is the best method.
The regression results in this study were analyzed by testing for the best model to
use in accordance with the criteria and then explaining the results of the regression. The
effect of the independent variables on the dependent variable can be determined through
panel data regression analysis, namely by entering the value of the panel data regression
analysis results into the regression using the fixed effect model. The multicollinearity and
heteroscedasticity tests were used as the classical assumption tests in this study. The
former did not indicate a high correlation to each independent variable, which means the
model is free from multicollinearity. All the independent variables used were also free
from heteroscedasticity. The best estimation model is used to draw conclusions from
several tests such as the following t and F tests.
The constant value and the fact that independent variables such as the expenditure
efficiency ratio (X5) and the solvency ratio (X3) have the highest and positive coefficient
scores indicates that these are the main drivers of an increase in the audit opinion value.
Thus, it can be said that these factors contributed the most to the unqualified audit
opinions issued to central government agencies. Other factors such as the revenue
effectiveness ratio (X4) and surplus (X6) have negative coefficient values, thus indicating
that these variables do not influence the issuance of an unqualified audit opinion.
The F-statistic result shows a value of less than 5%, which means the regression
model in this study is appropriate for use as the prediction model. Of the six independent
variables tested in the t-test, only the solvency ratio (X3) and revenue effectiveness ratio
(X4) are found to have a significant effect on the audit opinion with a probability value
below 5%. Meanwhile, the other four independent variables, namely the leverage ratio
(X1), liquidity ratio (X2), expenditure efficiency ratio (X5) and surplus (X6), have no
significant effect on audit opinion. Furthermore, the adjusted R2 value of 19.66% indicates
that the audit opinion can be explained by the independent variable in this study to the
extent of that percentage value.
Referring to the statistical results above, the following discussion points are
explained. The first hypothesis showing that the leverage ratio has no significant effect on
the issuance of an unqualified audit opinion. This indicates that the leverage ratio is
attributable to the very small amount of debt to total assets of agencies. The central
government agencies hold a very large amount of equity relative to total assets, which
indicates they are in a strong position to pay off their small debt obligations. The second
hypothesis shows that the liquidity ratio has no significant effect on the issuance of an
unqualified audit opinion. This is due to the varying amounts of current assets held by
agencies and the low value of their short-term debts to the providers of goods and services,
as well as to building constructors. Thus, the variation in the liquidity ratio from low to
high indicates that this is not a factor in the determination of an unqualified audit opinion.
The third hypothesis, which is significant, indicates that the solvency ratio can be viewed
as a consideration when issuing an unqualified audit opinion.
The positive relationship means that the more solvent the entity in paying the
short-term and long-term obligations, the more chance for government agencies to get
unqualified audit opinion. The data obtained from all agencies indicate that a low solvency
ratio arises because they do not need to seek debt to finance their operational activities.
This is due to the availability of the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget as their main
source of funding, along with Non-Tax State Revenue as a complementary source, albeit
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study sought to identify the factors influencing the issuance of
audit opinions on agencies' financial statements, examining variables such as the solvency
ratio, leverage ratio, liquidity ratio, revenue effectiveness ratio, expenditure efficiency
ratio, and surplus. The findings reveasled that only two variables, namely the solvency
ratio and revenue effectiveness ratio, exert significant effects on the audit opinion
decision.
The contribution of this study lies in shedding light on the specific financial factors
that impact the audit opinion process for government agencies. It provides valuable
insights for agencies, emphasizing the importance of maintaining favorable financial
liquidity ratios and achieving revenue targets to ensure a positive audit opinion.
Additionally, the study carries implications for the Public Report Committee (PRC),
highlighting their role in holding agencies accountable for budget management through
the audit report.
However, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of this research. Future
studies can further explore additional variables and expand the sample size to enhance the
comprehensiveness of the findings. Additionally, the practical implication of this study
underscores the significance of financial management for agencies, which can guide policy
and decision-making. On a theoretical level, this research contributes to the understanding
of the audit opinion process within the context of government agencies.
This study provides the following recommendations for subsequent studies: (1) Add
other variables such as internal control systems, compliance with laws and regulations,
the previous year’s audit opinion, and follow-up recommendations on agencies'
examination results. (2) Add other variables such as good governance, namely
bureaucratic reform through fundamental changes in various aspects. The
implementation of bureaucratic reform and the realization of an integrity zone as a joint
commitment by government officials may encourage the issuance of an unqualified audit
opinion.
REFERENCES