‘MACC needs reassessment’
> Fight against corruption has ‘flatlined’, says former Hong Kong graft buster
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s anticorruption strategy and resources should be re-assessed, said a former chief graft buster from Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
Noting a “flat-lining” trend in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), based on international reports, ICAC former commissioner Bertrand de Speville said Malaysia’s fight against corruption “hides an uncomfortable reality”.
“Although you started your fight against this problem in 1987 and you have been measured on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index since 1995, the outcome has been flat.
“From 1987 to the present (30 years), the fight against corruption seems to have been flatlining,” he said at the Roundtable on Fighting Corruption event yesterday.
“Is it not time for a root and branch re-assessment of the way the national anti-corruption strategy has been, and is being, carried out?”
Calling it an algorithm of anticorruption, De Speville outlined seven steps for an effective fight against graft – political will, values set out in law, national strategy, strategy implementation, public support, resources and measuring progress.
He said looking at the MACC’s 2015 annual report, although there is political will, law and strategy in place, there are doubts in the implementing policies.
He also expressed concern on the lack of resources for MACC to effectively implement its strategies.
“In my experience, a government determined to address corruption must be prepared to spend up to 0.5% of its recurrent expenditure budget on the fight.
“MACC’s operating expenditure of RM223 million is 0.12%. That is a long way short of 0.5%.”
On the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010, he said it may not be effective, adding that although many countries have such legislation, very few have succeeded.
“Why? Because mistakes are made along the way. The Whistleblower’s Act has some part to play but it is a legalistic and rather clumsy way of protection.
“Much more effective is simple confidentiality.”