Low pay not always the motivator for corrupt officials, says MACC chief

 

For years, many have linked low salary as the main factor of corruption involving civil servants and some even demanded that the government reviews its wage policy for the public service.

However, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki disagreed that low wages contributed to corruption and abuse of power.

He said greed for material wealth and lack of integrity have driven the corrupt officers to receive bribes.

Azam, who has been with the graft buster for 37 years, drew the conclusion from the increasing trend of high ranking officers nabbed in various enforcement operations, particularly the recent high profile project tender cartel.

Only high ranking officials have the opportunity and room to bribe as they involved in the decision and policy-making process in the government entities.

"Perhaps in other crimes, such as where one is forced to steal because of lack of food (and money). But in corruption a case, it involves those in power because they have the opportunity to do so," Azam said in a live streaming interview with television channel TV Alhijrah yesterday.

Recent arrests by the MACC involved officials with premier grade (Jusa) B and C.

"Is it because of (low) salaries? No. How about those influential officers? Well, we will make an announcement (on enforcement action against an influential officer) in two weeks," he said, referring to the project tender cartel case.

Compared with government officials today, he said, decades ago he hardly heard of high ranking officials involved in corruption practices.

'Government should instil integrity in civil servants'

"Our wages were low back then, but the government invested in courses that enhance the integrity of the officers. It was compulsory for us to take part in the nationhood courses," Azam said.

The government should instil integrity in civil servants by making it compulsory to participate in relevant courses, stressed Azam, adding it was never too late for Malaysia to instil integrity in the public service.

He said tender cartels were found in Sabah and Sarawak, while another case showed a cartel, which allegedly controls 150 companies, bribed officers in order to monopolise RM3.8 billion worth of government projects.

In return, he said, the government officers received five to 10 percent in kickbacks from the project values.

Azam argued that the country needs a specific law to deal with such operations, which could monopolise the tender projects.

"The existing Competition Act 2010 can only address unhealthy competition. We do not have a (standalone) law that deals with monopoly and resorts to Ali Baba partnership," added Azam.

Ali Baba partnership is a business practice in Malaysia where a Malay company obtains a contract from the government and sub-contracts it to a company owned by non-Malay.

Apart from this, he said, the law should be able to act against those who leak information from the government.

Azam believes that the project cartel cases can be reduced with the introduction of a law on beneficial ownership (BO).

"We have to reform the laws. Maybe it is time for us to introduce a law on beneficial ownership, where the companies declare, via oath, the beneficial owners," he said.

Failing to do so, he said, could result in the relevant parties being charged in court.

"This is being reviewed by MACC and we will submit a report to the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption in few months," Azam said. - Mkini