Integrity units must be proactive, not just handle complaints, says Johari

 The Dewan Rakyat speaker calls for a structural shift in anti-corruption efforts nationwide.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul said the national agenda to combat corruption should not be measured solely by the number of arrests, charges or convictions.

PUTRAJAYA:

Integrity units in all organisations must evolve from being merely reactive complaint handlers into proactive strategic partners to address systemic loopholes before misconduct can take root, says Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul.

He said the true measure of an integrity unit’s success was in building a culture of accountability, rather than simply counting the number of corruption cases uncovered.

Johari also said the broader national agenda to combat corruption must be redefined and should not be measured solely by the number of arrests, charges or convictions.

“Integrity units should not be seen as units that only manage complaints or take punitive action after a violation has taken place.

“Greater success will be achieved if risks can be identified earlier, systemic weaknesses are rectified and a culture of integrity becomes part of an organisation’s DNA,” he said at the National Governance, Integrity, and Anti-Corruption Research Conference 2026 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre today.

Johari also highlighted Parliament’s ongoing role in strengthening institutional checks and balances, pointing to the Auditor-General’s Report tabled in February, which identified 273 new issues involving financial management and governance at both the federal and state levels.

He said the Public Accounts Committee’s ongoing proceedings reinforced the Dewan Rakyat’s mandate to ensure financial accountability and transparency remain fundamental to national administration. - FMT