Forest Dept to go all out in graft fight
The Forest Department is the second oldest department in Sarawak. We will reach 100 years on Jan 1 next year and we have seen the people’s perception towards this department whereby it is synonymous with corruption. Thus we need to change this image and perception of the people.
MIRI: SarawakForestDepartment has vowed to fight corruption and will not compromise with any of its staff involved in such crime or abuse of power.
Speaking to reporters after the Corruption-Free Pledge ( CFP) ceremony in cooperation with Malaysian Anti- Corruption Commission ( MACC) at a hotel here yesterday, Forest Department director Hamden Mohammad said the department will go all- out to change the people’s perception towards the organisation.
“The Forest Department is the second oldest department in Sarawak. We will reach 100 years old on Jan 1 next year and we have seen the people’s perception towards this department whereby it is synonymous with corruption. Thus we need to change this image and perception of the people.
“We will make a comprehensive transformation not only in terms of the department’s image, but in terms of the integrity of our officers and we will collaborate with the MACC continuously to implement all integrity- based programmes and good values that should be present in every department staff.
“We want to see this department, for the next 100 years, no longer associated with corruption. We will tighten all the Standard Operating Procedures ( SOPs), the fieldwork implementation, we will continue to raise awareness to the department’s employees about the dangers of corruption and we will shut down all spaces or opportunities for corruption to occur amongst the employees of this department,” he said, reminding the staff to uphold the department’s vision to be globally recognised in sustainable forest management.
Corruption should not be taken lightly as it not only affects the offenders and their family, but also the economic, social and political standing of a country and
Hamden Mohammad, Forest Department director
will eliminate the noble values that affect one’s personal moral principles, he reminded.
“The work we are doing is a trust that must be done sincerely for the blessings. Do not waste the opportunity that the government has given us to serve the people because many out there wish to get a job like us. For example, recently when we opened vacancies for the department, about 11,000 people applied. Thus I would like to remind all to be grateful that you have been given the opportunity to serve the people, and please work with integrity,” he said.
In his speech at the Forest Department (northern region) Integrity Day 2018 yesterday, Hamden also advised all civil servants to know the limits of communication through social media.
“Therefore, in order to maintain the image of the public service, I would like to advise all to refrain from producing comments and any writing that may interfere with the duties of the department or which may affect the image of the department, government or the country.
“Every citizen has the freedom to speak, but as a prudent and professional civil servant, the right has to be used wisely,” he added.
The pronouncement of the CFP was led by Miri Forest Department officer Alexander Anthony Banyan, followed by other department heads and its staff before a signing session which was witnessed by state MACC deputy director Abdul Razak Deraof.
When asked to comment on the secrecy of information provided on corruption or other misconduct to MACC, Abdul Razak briefly said the identity of the informant and the information provided is kept confidential and not to be disclosed to anybody in accordance with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2009 (Act 694).
About 100 Forest Department (northern region) staff took part in the pledge.
The ceremony was also attended by state Forest Department deputy director Jack Liam and Forest Department Legal and Integrity Unit head Abdul Wahab Ahmad.