PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Civil Service views remarks made by chair of Transparency International (TI) Jose Ugaz claiming there is a corruption crisis in the country with great concern and seriousness, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa said.
He said Ugaz’s statement had indirectly cast doubts on the integrity of the civil service.
He noted that TI had previously acknowledged the many reforms undertaken by Malaysia to tackle corruption and enhance further governance and integrity through the Corruption Perception Index 2014, where the country was ranked ninth in Asia Pacific after New Zealand, Japan and South Korea as well as ranked second after Singapore in Asean and 50th position in the world among 175 countries.
“Over the years, the civil service has carried out a variety of measures and initiatives aimed at reforming the civil service towards higher standards of ethics, governance, transparency and accountability.
“The policy and actions under taken by Malaysia to manage integrity reflects its underlying commitment towards enhancing trust and confidence in the public service.
"The civil service is committed to work continuously with the private sector to improve the public sector, its efficiency, increase public confidence and enhance public service delivery,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Ali also listed some measures and initiatives aimed at reforming the civil service including the establishment of the Malaysian Institute of Integrity (IIM) in 2003 and the Integrity Unit in all government agencies in 2013, introducing the Town Hall Session with members of media as well as the Certified Integrity Officer (CeIO).
He added under the Government Transformation Programme, fighting corruption is one of the National Key Result Areas (NKRA), reflecting Malaysia’s seriousness in the addressing the issue.
The Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (Pemudah) is another example set up in 2007 to reduce bureaucratic procedures, streamline processes and enhance government delivery efficiency, Ali said.
As a result of Pemudah, Malaysia is now ranked 18th from 189 economies compared to 24th position in 2008.