23-5-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Amid the ongoing crackdown on corruption in Malaysia, the country’s top bureaucrat has tackled the perception of rampant graft within the civil service, citing a declining trend in the number of convictions among government officials in recent years as evidence of integrity within their work culture.
In an interview with the Malaysian daily Utusan Malaysia on May 22, Mr. Mohd Zuki Ali, the chief secretary to the federal government, revealed that the number of corruption-related convictions among civil servants has been on a downward trajectory since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Mr. Zuki, there were 74 convictions in corruption cases out of 1.48 million civil servants in 2020. This figure dropped to 70 the following year and further declined to 21 in 2022, painting a promising picture of improved ethical standards within the ranks of the Malaysian civil service.
While the government took disciplinary action against 8,556 underperforming civil servants in 2022, only 140 government officials faced court proceedings for abuse of power or corruption during the same year, Mr. Zuki noted, as quoted by the Malay Mail.
Additionally, he highlighted that a total of 493 government officials were dismissed in 2022, compared to 239 in 2021 and 165 in 2020, bringing the total number of terminations to 897 over the three-year period.
“This shows that civil servants still practise a work culture with integrity to ensure good and transparent governance in the public service,” Mr. Zuki affirmed, emphasizing the commitment to ethical conduct within the Malaysian civil service.
However, he acknowledged the existence of a “small group” of civil servants involved in corruption cases, stating that “the government takes a serious view of this small group that can damage the image of the public service and will not tolerate misconduct involving integrity.”
In tackling misconduct and weaknesses within the civil service, Mr. Zuki highlighted the establishment of the Special Cabinet Committee on National Governance, chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and managed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
His comments come amidst the ongoing anti-graft crackdown by the MACC, which has ensnared various political and public figures. Most recently, the son of a state government head was charged on Thursday (May 23) in the Kangar sessions court in connection with the submission of false claims amounting to RM600,000 (US$127,470).
Mohd Syafeeq Mohd Shukri, a business owner whose father is Perlis Menteri Besar Mohd Shukri Ramli, pleaded not guilty to submitting false claims for supplying drinks to the Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail worth RM19,505.10 in February, according to local media reports.
The MACC’s crackdown has also targeted prominent political figures, including former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin.
Mr. Zuki has previously spoken up on Malaysia’s ongoing efforts to tackle corruption. In February last year, he called for greater transparency and accountability mechanisms to avoid repeated power abuse, following news of the country’s drop in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score for three consecutive years in 2022.
“It is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that the score in the CPI is improved, to restore the country’s image and dignity,” he stated, underscoring the collective responsibility in combating corruption and upholding ethical standards within the Malaysian government and civil service.
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