Committee to monitor enforcement agencies
PUTRAJAYA: The Special Cabinet Committee on AntiCorruption (JKKMAR) has agreed with the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission’s (EAIC) proposal on the need to set up a Complaints Committee (JKA), Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced yesterday.
He said the JKA will be in charge of monitoring the management of complaints of misconduct in 20 enforcement agencies other than the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM).
“This is to ensure that the monitoring on the 20 agencies can be carried out in line with the monitoring on PDRM,” he said after chairing the JKKMAR meeting here yesterday.
When asked when the JKA would be set up, Dr Mahathir said: “As soon as possible.”
The Prime Minister said JKKMAR also agreed with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) proposal for the termination of service of the MACC chief commissioner be made through a constitutional process by amending the relevant law.
The JKMMAR also agreed to carry out a study on the possibility for MACC chief commissioner’s appointment procedures to also be made through a constitutional process, Dr Mahathir said.
“This is to prevent government’s intervention in the appointment and to ensure transparency and independence of the chief commissioner from the influence of any quarters,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said the government is also serious in acting on the proposals submitted by the Institutional Reforms Committee (IRC).
“The JKKMAR was informed today that of the total 256 proposals submitted by the IRC, 190 are within the scopes of governance, integrity and anticorruption, including 55 proposals which involve amending the Federal Constitution.
“For instance, (the proposals) to reform the legislative and election systems. Notification on these matters will be made to the IRC,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said JKKMAR also agreed with the recommendations by the National Registration Department (NRD) to strengthen and improve its governance to address the issue of improper issuance of identification documents.
The recommendations include re-rating the NRD as a highrisk agency and empowering its integrity unit; and empowering its investigation and enforcement division by improving intelligence operation equipment, infrastructure, staffing system and skills management.
Also agreed is the recommendation to have the biometric element embedded in every identification document issued by the NRD, he said.
Dr Mahathir said this followed the increasing presence of foreign workers in the country which will also increase the risk of issuance of fake documents and misconduct among NRD personnel.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said the meeting also saw the presentation of some achievements unlocked under the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) 2019-2023.
“As at December 31 last year, 22 out of 115 initiatives in the plan have been implemented, including asset declaration by members of the administration, while 93 other initiatives are in progress,” he said, adding that the JKKMAR has agreed to give another year to the relevant steering agencies to complete the initiatives.
On the selection of JKA members, Dr Mahathir said the Parliament would be given the opportunity to nominate suitable candidates before he (Prime Minister) finalises it and submits the names to the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong for consent.
Dr Mahathir said Board of Engineers Malaysia had also presented to the JKKMAR the proposal to be granted approval to take over the role of Finance Ministry in overseeing the performance of project consultants.
He said this is to enable the selection of engineering consultants to be made directly based on merit to reduce the risk of corruption.
The JKKMAR meeting also took note on the improvement to be made by the Ministry of Education to ensure that the NACP 2019-2023 initiatives related to human governance will be implemented right from pre-school up to the tertiary level in a bid to produce a new generation of high integrity people who reject corruption, he added.