APPOINTMENT AS IACA PRESIDENT PROOF OF GOVT'S COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING CORRUPTION - AZALINA

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- The appointment as the president of the Assembly of Parties (AoP) of the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA) is a great honour for Malaysia and demonstrates the commitment of the MADANI government in the fight against corruption at the global level, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

Azalina was appointed president of the 13th session of AoP IACA during today's AoP assembly at the Vienna International Centre.

She said that the appointment marks the international community's recognition and trust in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's strong commitment and firm stance on corruption, which is a globally known fact.

"This appointment not only provides Malaysia the opportunity to show the country's commitment and leadership in the fight against corruption internationally, but also serves as a mandate to bring about more meaningful change in the global effort to combat corruption," she said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department (BHEUU, JPM), in the same statement, said this historic appointment marks the first time Malaysia is entrusted with the highest position in the AoP IACA, a key platform for global capacity building in anti-corruption efforts.

Azalina will lead the AoP Bureau and the IACA, consisting of 77 countries and four international organisations, in shaping policies and strategies for IACA to strengthen the academy's role in professional anti-corruption education and training.

Since the commencement of AoP IACA's first session in 2012, Malaysia has only been elected vice president in four sessions, specifically in 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2023.

According to the statement, IACA's recognition of Malaysia complements the country's various anti-corruption initiatives, including the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028, which aims to combat corruption and promote integrity, transparency, and accountability across various sectors.

"This also includes several initiatives actively carried out by BHEUU, JPM, comprising legal reforms to improve governance by drafting the Freedom of Information Bill, amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act, and updates to the Trustees Act.

"Malaysia is confident that the trust of an international body like IACA will drive the country towards becoming a corruption-free nation, ensuring the goal to rank among the top 25 countries in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index within the next 10 years becomes a reality," read the statement.

The statement also noted that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner, Tan Sri Azam Baki, has been reappointed as an IACA Board of Governors (BoG) member for the 2024-2027 session.

It said Azam's role in the BoG will give Malaysia an advantage in setting the direction of IACA and ensuring a more effective anti-corruption agenda.

"Indirectly, this appointment also helps strengthen the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy as a reputable anti-corruption training centre in the Asia-Pacific region," it added.

Since its establishment in 2011 in Austria, IACA has served as an international centre of excellence and research for combating corruption and a key training hub for professionals, mainly within anti-corruption agencies.

-- BERNAMA