Integrity of utmost importance, Ismail Sabri tells staff

The issue of integrity should take priority and should be everyone's concern, regardless if one is a subordinate, senior official, minister or chief minister, said Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

In advising the ministry's staff to list integrity as most important, following reports on embezzlement of funds at one of the ministries, he said integrity issues could have a significant impact on public service and the ministry involved.

"So, please ensure integrity is not being compromised in the Rural and Regional Development Ministry," he said at the ministry's monthly assembly in Putrajya today.

He added that the ministry was waiting for a date from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to sign the integrity pledge.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin today confirmed that an official from his ministry was being investigated by the MACC on the embezzlement of funds.

Last Friday, the MACC arrested a division secretary in the ministry after the individual was suspected of masterminding a syndicate responsible for misappropriation of government funds totalling RM107 million.

Ismail Sabri said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng also seemed affected and panicked when the question of integrity was brought up.

"Lim should just leave the matter to the MACC and answer their questions. There is no need to debate on it and so on.

"Lim's action of taking reporters to visit his residence yesterday does not answer any of the questions raised," he said.

Tasek Gelugor Member of Parliament Shabudin Yahaya had in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday urged the Valuation and Property Development Department (JPPH) to make an assessment on the RM2.8 million property purchased by Lim, who is also the MP for Bagan, in Jalan Pinhorn, Penang while the market value of the house was said to be over RM3 million.

Shabudin also urged the MACC to investigate allegations on the sale of several plots of land in Penang, originally allocated for the construction of houses under the Hardcore Poor Housing Project.

- Bernama