Malaysia's top bureaucrat says corruption is down in civil service as fewer convicted in graft cases
23 May, 2024
Mr Mohd Zuki Ali said convictions and terminations related to corruption have dropped among public servants since the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the anti-corruption commission’s crackdown continues, with the son of a state government head charged with submitting false claims on Thursday.
Convictions drop among Malaysian civil servants since COVID-19, but anti-corruption efforts persist, says chief bureaucrat Mohd Zuki Ali. Son of state official charged with false claims amid MACC crackdown.
The decrease in Malaysian civil servants convicted in corruption cases in recent years shows integrity in their work culture, said the country’s top bureaucrat, tackling the view that corruption is rife in their ranks.
Mr Mohd Zuki Ali, chief secretary to the federal government, said the number of corruption-related convictions among civil servants since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic has been declining.
In a May 22 interview with Malaysian daily Utusan Malaysia, Mr Zuki said there were 74 convictions in corruption cases out of 1.48 million civil servants in 2020. The number dropped to 70 the following year and fell to 21 in 2022.
He added that while the government took disciplinary action against 8,556 underperforming civil servants in 2022, only 140 civil servants were taken to court that year for power abuse or corruption.
Mr Zuki, quoted by the Malay Mail, also noted that a total of 493 government officials were sacked in 2022 compared to 239 in 2021 and 165 in 2020, making a total of 897.
“This shows that civil servants still practise a work culture with integrity to ensure good and transparent governance in the public service,” said Mr Zuki.
However, he added that “the government takes a serious view of this small group (of civil servants involved in corruption cases) that can damage the image of the public service and will not tolerate misconduct involving integrity.”
In tackling misconduct and weaknesses in the civil service, Mr Zuki highlighted the establishment of the Special Cabinet Committee on National Governance, chaired by prime minister Anwar Ibrahim and managed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC).
His comments come as the spate of political and public figures involved in the MACC anti-graft crackdown continues.
The son of a state government head was charged on Thursday (May 23) in the Kangar sessions court, in connection with submission of false claims amounting to RM600,000 (US$127,470).
Mohd Syafeeq Mohd Shukri, a business owner whose father is Perlis menteri besar Mohd Shukri Ramli pled not guilty to submitting false claims for supplying drinks to the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail worth RM19,505.10 in February, according to local media.
He was remanded by the MACC on Apr 24 with five other suspects. They were released on RM10,000 bail each on Apr 26 after their remand order expired.
Six days later, Mr Mohd Shukri was questioned by MACC for eight hours regarding alleged power abuse involving the implementation of infrastructure development projects in Perlis since 2022, according to the Malay Mail. He was also released on bail.
The other suspects include a former political secretary to an opposition leader who will be charged at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court, according to MACC’s statement on May 23.
MACC’s crackdown has also ensnared prominent political figures including former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin.
Mr Zuki has previously spoken up on Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to tackle corruption.
In February last year, he called for greater transparency and accountability mechanisms to avoid repeated power abuse, following news of the country’s drop in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score in 2022, for three consecutive years.
"It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that the score in the CPI is improved, to restore the country's image and dignity," he said.
Source: www.channelnewsasia.com
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