The head of the new anti-graft body says the government is reviewing existing laws to curb corruption in ministries and their agencies.
Abu Kassim Mohamed says all ministries are required to identify weaknesses in current legislation. (Bernama pic)
PUTRAJAYA: The government will draft a new law to allow punitive measures against its officers who intentionally cause leakages and waste government funds, Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) director-general Abu Kassim Mohamed said today.
The former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief said the government would also make necessary reviews to existing legislations, policies and regulations in order to curb corruption in ministries and their relevant agencies.
He said all ministries were required to identify at least three issues or weaknesseses in the law for this purpose.
“The reports (of the findings) need to be submitted to GIACC within one month from today,” he said after attending a meeting of the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption chaired by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad here.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Abu Kassim said drafting such a law was among the matters deliberated at the meeting today in line with the government’s efforts to rebuild the country through the promises contained in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) manifesto.
“The Pakatan Harapan-led government is committed to liberating the country from corruption by implementing between 21% and 35% of the 60 promises in the PH manifesto concerning the aspects of governance, integrity, anti-corruption and human rights,” he said.
Abu Kassim said the government had thus decided to establish the GIACC which would report directly to the prime minister.
Apart from overseeing all matters pertaining to governance, integrity and anti-corruption, the centre was also responsible for human rights affairs on behalf of the government, he said.
Abu Kassim also said the government would draft the Political Funding Bill as soon as possible to curb money politics.
Meanwhile, the committee, previously known as the Special Cabinet Committee on Integrity of Government Management, had decided that the policy against accepting gifts and donations among civil servants be extended to political secretaries as well as ministers, he said.
He said the Prime Minister’s Department had adopted the no-gift policy.
In addition, Abu Kassim said the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) would be amended to allow issues concerning governance, integrity and anti-corruption to be addressed thoroughly.
He said the NACP would eventually replace the National Integrity Plan which was launched by the previous government.
Abu Kassim also said the National Integrity and Good Governance Department, Institute of Integrity Malaysia, Public Complaints Bureau and the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission would be placed under the purview of GIACC. -FMT
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