<h1>Regulator warns companies to protect auditor independence and strengthen board-audit communication to ensure reliable financial reporting</h1> The regulatory oversight body emphasised that audit committees must safeguard auditor independence and strengthen communication among management, audit committees, independent directors and auditors to ensure reliable financial reporting. The regulator is pursuing enforcement against auditing lapses and urges companies to maintain comprehensive internal controls, adopt risk-based, tech-enabled audit approaches, and improve transparency in annual reports and related-party transaction disclosures. These positions underscore compliance risks under corporate law and securities regulation, signalling heightened supervisory scrutiny and potential regulatory action where governance, disclosure or audit independence deficiencies are found.