Improve transparency on billions recovered by MACC, govt told

 Malaysian Corruption Watch says it is imperative that the funds should not 'disappear into the system'.

Malaysian Corruption Watch president Jais Abdul Karim said the people want to see a direct link between the recovered funds and the benefits they receive. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Malaysian Corruption Watch (MCW) has called on the government to improve transparency in managing recovered corruption funds to ensure the money benefits the people.

MCW president Jais Abdul Karim said the RM8.5 billion recovered by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission last year is a major enforcement achievement, but also shows that corruption in the country is systemic and alarming.

“(A sum of) RM8.5 billion is not a small figure. It proves that corruption is no longer isolated, but has taken root in major projects, public procurement, licensing, approvals, and administration.

“This recovery should be seen as a serious warning, not a reason for complacency,” he said in a statement today.

Jais said the recovered funds must not simply return to the normal expenditure cycle, but should go towards education and integrity training for youths, public health, healthcare and hospitals, high-impact projects like water supply, housing, and dilapidated schools, and a special fund for integrity and corruption prevention.

“The public must be able to see a direct link between the recovered funds and the benefits they receive,” he said.

He also called for independent oversight by Parliament and civil society, regular public reports on fund usage, and measures to prevent the funds from “disappearing into the system”.

While supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s one-week deadline for enforcement leaders to act on corruption or step aside, Jais said reforms must be sustained, focus on removing problematic officers, and not seasonal directives.

“Reforms must not be cosmetic or based solely on short timelines. Timeframes are meaningless without genuine political will,” he said.

In 2025, MACC recovered more than RM8.5 billion through asset confiscations, account freezes, forfeitures, compounds, and settlements.

Last week, Anwar warned enforcement officers to step aside if they are not serious about fighting corruption and smuggling, saying he expected real progress.

He also gave enforcement officers from various departments and agencies a week to reflect on whether they were prepared to go all-out against corruption. - FMT