Establish corruption risk management plans, Sarawak CM tells state govt depts
KUCHING, Aug 28 — Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Abang Johari Openg today asked more state government departments to establish their corruption risk management (CRM) plans to help them identify risks of corruption, abuse of power and embezzlement among their officers.
He said these key departments should emulate the example of Land and Survey Department (L&S) for establishing its CRM plan, in collaboration with the state MACC.
“After L&S, I would like to see the Rural Water Supply Department and the state Public Works Department to follow suit,” the chief minister said at the Land and Survey Integrity and Innovation Day here.
He also launched the Land and Survey’s CRM plan, a follow-up to the Corruption Management Strategic Plan launched in 2016.
Abang Johari reminded state departments and agencies on the importance of having the right processes to curb corruption and abuse of power among their officers.
“Whatever we do we do it in stages, but they must be correct,” he said, adding that such processes will need to be improved from time to time.
The chief minister said the Land and Survey Information System (LASIS) is an example of a transparent process of land registration and is accessible to the public.
He added LASIS, set up in 1994, encompasses planning, surveying, valuation, administration and management of land.
Abang Johari said LASIS has won an number of international recognitions for its innovation and creativity since its establishment.
The chief minister also thanked the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Latheefa Koya for singling out Sarawak as the first state in the country to establish an integrity and ombudsman unit in the chief minister’s office.
He said it shows that MACC values the state government’s move in combating corruption and abuse of power.
Two days ago, Latheefa urged states to establish an integrity unit in the office of the mentri besar or chief minister in an effort to check corruption or irregularities.
She had said only Sarawak had set up the State Integrity and Ombudsman Unit (UNION), hoping that other states would emulate Sarawak in avoiding any criticism (against the highest state government administration) and initiate the process of administrative transparency.
She had said the potential for corruption was greater at the state level than the federal level because the states have more access to various resources such as logging and land-related matters.
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