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RECENTLY, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad called for the public to report corruption, and become the eyes and ears of the commission.

MACC launched a programme called Sahabat SPRM to increase public participation in the campaign against corruption. This is a positive development in the war against corruption.

Fighting corruption is an essential part of any government’s ambitious plan to transform the nation and accelerate economic growth.

The goals are to restore public trust, ensure good governance, encourage investor confidence and provide a fair marketplace and competitive platform.

However, the fight against corruption cannot be won without citizens’ support, participation and vigilance.

The media, civic and business associations, trade unions as well as other non-governmental ac- tors play crucial roles in fostering public discussion of corruption and increasing awareness about its negative impact.

In the past years, we have witnessed reforms to intensify the fight against corruption.

For example, fighting corruption has been made a National Key Performance Indicator, which is a clear indication of how serious we are about eradicating corruption.

The Corporate Integrity Pledge is one of the government’s initiatives to solicit greater cooperation and participation from the private sector in the fight against corruption.

The Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 represents a new piece of legislation protecting the rights and identities of persons who report instances of corruption.