KOTA KINABALU: Public servants who participated in the Ikrar Bebas Rasuah (IBR) campaign by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) must take the pledge wholeheartedly and not treat it as a masquerade.
In expressing his dissapointment, Sabah's MACC director Datuk Sazali Salbi revealed that four policemen nabbed by the graft busters in Lahad Datu last week had recently taken the corruption-free pledge.
"This is an example of taking a pledge without understanding and the lack of appreciation. We carried out the IBR but there was no point of coming (to the event) if what was uttered only came from the mouth and not from a clean heart and mind.
"We don't want the IBR to become a sandiwara (drama) whereby you pledge today and in the following days you commit corruption. In the end, you will only embarass yourself, the agency and your family."
He was speaking to about 200 academicians and senior officers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) at the IBR programme here, today.
Present was UMS vice-chancellor Prof Dr D Kamarudin D Mudin.
On Aug 21, MACC arrested a police inspector from Lahad Datu. The commercial crimes investigation division chief was nabbed for allegedly receiving RM20,000 bribe from an unlicensed Ah Long (money lender). Three more policemen - a Sargeant from the same division, a Lance Corporal and a Corporal from the Lahad Datu's police Rapid Response Unit - were also nabbed to facilitate investigations.
Sazali urged UMS to take the corruption-free pledge seriously, stressing unscrupulous deeds will impact students.
"The role of a Professor and academician is to build dynamic students, who can sustain and have high intergrity. So, do not show bad examples," he adviced.
He said based on the commission’s studies, corruption has led to other crimes such as smuggling, gambling, and prostitution among others.
At the event, some 200 UMS staff made their corruption-free pledge led by Kamarudin, who also signed the IBR document while witnessed by Sazali.