INTEGRITY PRACTICES MUST BE APPLIED IN STAGES CONSISTENTLY - MOHAMED KHALED

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- The Defence Ministry (MINDEF) has stressed its commitment to make integrity the basis of all aspects of governance, even as it faces various challenges to realise the value as a culture among minsitry staff.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said integrity would not be present and develop into a culture on its own, but required constant effort and consistent application at every level of the organisation.

Such efforts were in line with the call by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who stressed on the importance of good governance and best practices at all levels of government.

“Every good practice has its own challenges, including integrity that isn’t present as a culture on its own, but needs to be applied consistently at all levels.

“Most importantly, it must be supported by a good ecosystem or environment,” he said during his speech at the MINDEF-level 2024 National Integrity Day celebrations at the Defence Ministry Auditorium here today.

He said that when discussions revolved around conducive environments, focus needed to be given to several important issues, including work systems, procedures and clear solid user-friendly guidelines.

“Integrity problems will seep in when bureaucratic issues that create problems for everyone exist.

“Corruption issues or attempts to game or beat the system mostly begins due to problematic procedures. This does not mean that we take things easy. Taking things easy and making things convenient are two very different things,” he explained.

Mohamed Khaled said that a ministry-level Delivery Service Improvement Monitoring Committee was set up on Aug 23, in line with the commitment to boost public service delivery.

“The setting up for this committee is in line with the Prime Minister’s address during the Public Service Gathering on Aug 16, that stressed on improving existing work processes to ensure public service delivery fulfils the needs of customers,” he added.

He also pointed out that using the latest technology were among the other aspects that required attention in efforts to instil a culture of integrity.

“Current technological and innovative developments require attention. Besides online systems, automation and other computer advantages and digital reforms, we must start using advantages offered by the latest technologies such as big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI),” he said.

Today’s celebrations witnessed an anti-corruption oath taking ceremony by 450 MINDEF staff led by MINDEF secretary-general Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali, representing the civil service and the Malaysian Armed Forces personnel.

It was followed by a signing of the pledge by Lokman Hakim and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, witnessed by the Defence Minister himself.

-- BERNAMA