Effectiveness in combating corruption does not rely solely on the strength of laws, but requires firm leadership and the cultivation of a comprehensive culture of integrity, says MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki.
He said even the most robust system would fail if the leadership were weak and compromised with corrupt practices.
“The success or failure of any system is not determined by laws alone, but by leadership.
“If there is clear, firm, and uncompromising political will within the leadership, even in the absence of a strong system, reforms and progress towards more efficient, transparent, and robust governance will take place,” he said in his keynote address at the Wacana Ilmiah Perdana programme organised by Asia e University (AeU) today.
According to Azam, MACC was implementing a three-pronged approach which encompassed strengthening effective enforcement, comprehensive prevention, and efficient management.
He said the approach was not merely an organisational strategy, but a framework of thinking that must be embedded across the national ecosystem to close gaps and opportunities for corruption.
“This is because corruption does not stem solely from individuals, but from systems that still allow room and opportunity for it to occur,” he said.
Meanwhile, Azam said MACC had identified three high-risk sectors as key focus areas, namely government procurement involving cartels or monopolies, border enforcement, and leakage of public funds that affect the people’s interests.
He added that in today’s landscape, such unethical practices did not occur in a vacuum, but involved networks spanning multiple sectors, including public, corporate, financial and international spheres, requiring comprehensive solutions.
Earlier, Azam’s speech was briefly disrupted by three activists, who were later escorted out of the hall by security personnel.
- Bernama
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