THE ongoing effort by the government in combating corruption, overall strengthening of public and community administration since 2018 have yielded many positive results that is very encouraging.
At the end of January, Transparency International (TI) in its latest announced that the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for Malaysia has jumped 53 points in 2019 compared to 47 points in 2018, lifting the country’s overall position to 51 from 61 the previous year.
This success proved that some of the key initiatives and immediate actions by the government in combating graft that is systematically formulated with the formation of Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) under the purview of Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamad, is beginning to show the desired results.
GIACC was formed primarily to formulate and monitor all activities that are related to administration, integrity and anti-graft. It is also responsible in planning, brainstorm on strategic steps and evaluate policies to ensure all government dealings are in accordance with good governance practices, high integrity and have zero tolerance on corruption.
Reference and main index on the effort in fighting corruption is also prepared by the government as contained in the National Anti-Corruption Plan 2019-2023 (NACP) that was launched by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad on January 2019.
NACP has a total of 115 initiatives, six strategies and six main priority areas that are all geared towards preventing, eradicating, and putting roadblocks for corruption in Malaysia.
During the launch of NACP, the scores for Malaysia in the Corruption Perception Index was 47/100 and was positioned at 61/180. Following this unfavourable scores, the Special Cabinet Committee Meeting on Anti-Corruption (JKKMAR) on September 2018 decided that Integrity Institute of Malaysia be given the role to make improvement.
IIM was tasked to assist GIACC at operational level by playing the role in developing the capacity and competency on all public sectors, Government linked companies (GLCs) and corporates through the emphasis on adopting the instruments and services offered by the agency.
Following this, IIM has offered a few products and services that focused on improving the governance, integrity and anti-corruption drives.
Some of the examples include the Organisation Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) which is one of the mandatory initiatives under the NACP specifically designed towards “Strengthening the Effectiveness in the Delivery of Public Services.”
Its purpose is to help organisations in the development of strategic planning of their own anti-corruption drives.
It also highlights the problems, approaches and programme that are related to all aspects in implementing the responsibilities and delivery of services.
OACP acts in assisting organisations in deciding on the allocation of appropriate resources in meeting the policies that have been decided, the timeframe needed and outline the path towards achieving the organisation’s strategic objectives.
Beside this, IIM is also tasked with helping government and private organisations in the development and competency needed to obtain the MS ISO 37001 – Anti Corruption Management System (ABMS) certification.
This certification represents an organisation’s voluntary internal control system to help the entity in the areas of prevention, detection and eradication of corruption. Enforcement of this certification will begin in June 2020.
It requires organisations to accept anti-graft measures, select a suitable candidate to oversee the compliance of anti-graft plans, train, evaluate the risks and follow up with due diligence on projects and business partners.
Through this certification organisations have to set aside the required guidelines to create, implement, preserve and improve the management systems for anti-corruption, in fact it can be achieved through integration with one’s existing system or become part of an overall management system.
An organisation can also identify and reevaluate the risks involved with the scourge of corruption by implementing monetary and commercial control systems as well as make clear the reporting and investigation procedures.
Meanwhile, Corruption Risk Management (CRM) is designed to be an effective management tool in combating issues related to corruption and to create a management that is in accordance with anti-graft trust and one the uplifts value of integrity.
It also emphasizes on analysis of data on corruption offences besides identifying the sources and schemes of corruption that will produce a risk action plan that can be useful and practical for the parties in the highest management levels for a more comprehensive and inclusive organisation administration.
Besides, it also helps organisations to identify corruption risks, leakages and abuse of power as well as prepare a systematic risk management plan that will encourage management best practices that close the gap on any chances for graft, leakages and abuse of power.
Meanwhile, other products include the Individual Integrity Profiling (IPP) Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT), Community Integrity Building (CIB) and Ethics & Integrity Training Programme.
All these products we hope can be a primary source of awakening towards the building of capacity & competency to all sectors covering private, public, corporate and GLSs.
However, in the quest to take a step forward in the fight against corruption, and to directly help raise the CPI score and position of Malaysia, the unwavering involvement, support and cooperation for all, beginning from the country’s highest leadership down to the masses below, is most crucial.
Hamilye Sham Harun is Senior Manager for Corporate Service at Integriti Institut Malaysia.
