Sarawak backs MACC’s move to re-open closed cases
KUCHING, Dec 12 — The Sarawak state government supports Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) move to re-open closed case files involving public interest, its Minister of Integrity and Ombudsman Datuk Talip Zulpilip said today.
“We also fully support the initiatives of MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya to place priority to agenda such as programmes to create public awareness on corruption,” he said when commenting on her interview over TV3’s Soal Rakyat programme last night.
Talip said the state government also supports the move by MACC to place its officers in the offices of Chief Ministers and Mentris Besar and to train Certified Integrity Officers (CeIOs) in high-risk government departments.
He said the state government had already created the Integrity and Ombudsman Ministry since January 7, 2017 following a State Cabinet reshuffle.
He said the ministry’s role and responsibility is to plan and implement programmes to make integrity as a culture and at the same time to investigate whatever complaints or abuse of power in the state government administration.
“Arising out of this, Integrity and Ombudsman Unit (UNION) under the Chief Minister’s Department was set up on February 1, 2018.
“Before this, the state Ministry of Integrity and Ombudsman was using the manpower of the Integrity Team from the Human Resource Unit,” he said.
Talip said on February 11 this year, in collaboration with the federal government, the deputy director of the state MACC was placed in the UNION as an effort to curb corruption activities and to protect the integrity in the state civil service, he said.
He said the UNION, in collaboration with the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Academy, took the first step to introduce the CeIOs programme in Sarawak.
Talip said 94 state civil servants have so far undergone training programme as CeIOs.
He said with CeIOs playing the role as eyes and ears of the state government, transparency and accountability in the delivery service system in the state government administration will be further upgraded.
Talip said as of November 1, 2019, the UNION has conducted 89 programmes to make integrity as a culture, involving 27,921 people throughout state.
He said the UNION will also continue with its series of ethics and integrity programmes, targeting the management and implementation group in the efforts to ensure that the integrity message is conveyed to every level of the state administration and the state civil service.
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