PUTRAJAYA: Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Ali Hamsa says issues of integrity still exist within the civil service sector.
However, the situation, he said, is under control with ongoing exercises being conducted, including raising awareness of integrity among civil servants through various programmes.
"I cannot say it is a big problem and I cannot say that there is no such problem too. If civil servants slip up, action will be taken against them. It is a manageable problem that can still be controlled.
"The MACC (Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission) has been carrying out their duties (to monitor) the civil servants," he told reporters at the presentation of the 2016 Prime Minister's Department Excellent Service Awards.
Ali presented excellent service awards to 400 recipients out of more than 800 who received their awards today.
To a question, Ali said issues of integrity involve both government officers and staff, noting that the series of arrests by MACC should serve as a reminder to civil servants to always uphold their integrity.
The latests issue involving civil servants came in the wake of arrest of 16 policemen linked to drug syndicates. It was revealed that some of the 'dirty' policemen had planted their men in strategic positions within the Narcotics Department, which eventually led to a department shakeup.
Early this year, MACC had declared 2017 as the year it would focus on the civil sector, government-linked companies and the banking sector.
MACC deputy commissioner Datuk Azam Baki was quoted as saying that it had set three years to clean up the civil service of corruption.
As many as 665 investigation papers were opened from 2016 to February involving civil servants, with 548 government workers arrested and 63 cases brought to court.