KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) hopes the government would consider allowing the commission to employ more staff to boost its manpower.
Its chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said MACC manpower currently stood at roughly 2,100 officers when ideally it should be 5,000.
"MACC has conducted a study and we found that ideally we need at least 5,000 personnel and this has been approved by the government in 2008.
"However the current economic condition does not allow for this to be achieved," he said adding that MACC is looking at increasing the number of intakes next year.
He was speaking after attending the passing out parade for newly recruited MACC staff who underwent training at the Police Training Centre (Pulapol) here, today.
Dzulkifli in his opening speech said MACC faced dynamic challenges in addition high public expectations for them to continue with their on-going war againts corruption in the country.
New recruits must be equipped with advance knowledge, creativity and inovative traits to ensure the commission remains relevent, he said.
"MACC officers should be strong, mentally and physically so that is why the physical training course include marching and shooting.
"The training will help to measure their level of preparedness and strengthen friendship bond among the officers as well as improve their disipline in obeying instructions," he added.
The commission, he said is also working with local universities as part of its continued efforts in producing knowledgeable and compentent MACC officers.
MACC is also eyeing a partnership with University of Nottingham Trent to upgrade the basic oficer training course.
Also present at the ceremony were the deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Azam Baki, deputy chief commissioner (management and professionalism) Datuk Seri Mohd Jamidan Abdullah and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy (Maca) director Datuk Idris Zaharuddin.
A total of 223 new MACC personnel and officers completed their basic training and transition courses.
Out of that number, 150 completed basic training as Assistant Enforcement Cadets Grade P29 grade, Enforcement Cadet Officers with Grade P41 and Assistant Enforcement Cadets.
The remaining 73 were officers who completed their one month Transition Course (Management and Professional Series 3 2017.