Purpose The purchase of non-audit services from incumbent auditors has generated considerable attention. This study aims to examine the relationship between characteristics of non-audit services, namely, the recurrence and types of services, and accruals quality in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzed hand-collected audit and non-audit fees of 1,117 observations from Malaysian firms from 2009 to 2011. This study used descriptive analysis, univariate tests and multivariate regression to investigate the potential effect of non-audit services on accruals quality. Findings Non-audit services are associated with lower accruals quality. Recurring and non-recurring non-audit service fees are detrimental to the quality of accruals, as are all types of recurring non-audit services. Only non-recurring audit-related services decrease accruals quality. The results demonstrate that provisions of non-audit services create economic bonding, and thus a threat to auditor independence. Results remain robust with the inclusion of corporate governance and institutional variables. Research limitations/implications The sample period might represent a limitation as it only covers three years of data. This limitation is mainly because of the nature of data collection of the non-audit services fees. Practical implications The findings could suggest a refinement on the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) by-laws focusing on auditor independence, and it could assist other regulative bodies such as the Securities Commission, the stock exchange (Bursa Malaysia) in ensuring better governance on the provision of non-audit services. Originality/value This study is the first that provides evidence on the relationship between non-audit services, types, and recurring and non-recurring non-audit services and accruals quality in Malaysia.

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PurposeThe study examines the relationship between nonaudit services (NAS) and accruals quality in Malaysia. The study also considers several important characteristics of audit committee as the determinant for accruals quality. Next, the study examines whether these characteristics mitigate the relationship between NAS and accruals quality.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs descriptive analysis, univariate tests and multivariate regression to investigate the potential effect of NAS on acruals quality. Data for audit committee characteristics were hand collected from annual reports downloaded from Bursa Malaysia's website.FindingsBased on 1,118 firm-year observations for the period 2009–2011, the study finds that NAS negatively impact accruals quality. This empirical result indicates that the economic bond that is created between auditors and clients restricts the auditors from performing their duty objectively. A fully independent audit committee weakens the negative relationship between NAS and auditor independence.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample period represents a limitation since it only covers three years of data. This limitation is largely driven by the nature of data collection of NAS fees.Practical implicationsThese results contribute to Malaysia's policy deliberation to account for the effects of NAS on auditor independence and the oversight role of an audit committee. This study contributes to theoretical perspectives on accruals quality and corporate governance in Malaysia.Originality/valueThe novelty of this research, coupled with institutional data in Malaysia, claims the originality of this research.

The objective of this study is to explore the whole process of fraud risk management strategies that should be implemented by the organizations. Secondly, this study discusses the governance issues that arise at each stage of the process. For the purpose of this study, a content analysis of previous literatures is used as a technique for gathering data. This process usually involves codifying qualitative and quantitative information into pre-defined categories in order to derive patterns in the presentation and reporting of information. Based on our content analysis, we found that the fraud risk management process should be made of at least five stages which are inculcating the culture of managing risks in an organization, identifying the risks, evaluating the risks, determining preventive actions and implementing and reviewing stages. Our extended analysis of the fraud risk management process finds that a lot of governance issues arise in the fraud risk management process that should be solved by regulators and companies in order to ensure that fraud risk management process is embedded as corporate culture, not merely as a process. Among them are how to create the risk culture in an organization and whether auditors and risk management committees identify risks from each available source.

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