QATAR SEEKS MALAYSIA'S COOPERATION TO DESIGN ANTI-CORRUPTION PROGRAMME FOR ISLAMIC COUNTRIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 (Bernama) -- The government's firm stance in fighting corruption at all levels, including the grassroots, has not only improved the country's image in terms of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) but has also garnered international recognition, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this was evident when the Government of Qatar requested the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to collaborate in designing an anti-corruption programme for Islamic countries.

“The Government of Qatar has requested a huge team, involving a minister and the MACC, to collaborate in designing an anti-corruption programme for Islamic countries, and this task has been assigned to the MACC.”

Anwar said this in reply to Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) about the achievements of the MADANI Government after two years in power, including efforts to combat corruption, during the Minister’s Question Time.

For the record, Minister of Law and Institutional Reform Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said is scheduled to lead the Malaysian delegation to the Ministerial Meeting of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities in Doha next week.

Malaysia has improved its position in the CPI released by Transparency International in 2023, scoring 50 points, up from 47 points the previous year.

Prior to this, Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Dr Muhammad Mohan said that the improvement was partly due to the ongoing efforts by MACC and the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) in charging high-profile politicians, as well as the independence of the judiciary.

Meanwhile, Anwar said that the claims of attempts to obstruct the MACC’s investigation into corruption cases involving the super-rich group and politicians were completely false.

He explained that although the MACC faces various challenges in handling cases involving individuals with many supporters, the commission continues its investigations regardless of their status.

“I know it’s not easy...it’s difficult to fight corruption when it involves the super-rich group because they have many supporters.

“However, I have been informed by the MACC that their investigations will continue, including the case involving assemblymen in Sabah, and that the assemblymen involved would also be called (to facilitate investigations). So, it is not true to say that there were attempts to obstruct such investigations,” he said.

Anwar said this applies to other prominent figures because the country cannot be safe if efforts are not taken to combat and prevent corruption from its roots.

In this regard, he called for the cooperation and support of all parties to achieve the government’s goal of fighting corruption at all levels and emphasized that there should no longer be any perception that enforcement actions and prosecutions in such cases are politically motivated.

Meanwhile, Anwar said that a detailed report card of the MADANI Government would also be made public at the Two Years of MADANI Government (2TM) programme scheduled to take place from Nov 22 to 24 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

-- BERNAMA