Forum examines multi-religious views on integrity
BINTULU: A forum titled ‘Integrity from a multi-religious perspective’ on Wednesday drew around 160 participants from religious organisations as well as community leaders and civil servants.
It was organised by the State Integrity and Ombudsman Unit (Union), Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), and Bintulu Resident’s Office.
Bintulu Resident Jack Aman Luat said the one-day programme involved talks by the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency on financial management and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the MACC Act and gifts.
He said during the interfaith forum themed ‘Unity with integrity’, panel members shared their views regarding the concept of integrity from their religious perspectives.
“Integrity comprises sincerity, openness, transparency, trust, truth, adherence to principles, not easily influenced, and can be trusted,” he said.
According to Jack it is very important for leaders including ministers, heads of departments, community leaders, and religious leaders to have high integrity so that governance in their respective organisations can be implemented smoothly and transparently.
“The higher the integrity, the lower the rate of corruption. When the corruption rate is low, the level of development progress, especially in Bintulu, will increase,” he said during the closing ceremony.
He said Sarawak can be used as an example and module on diversity, tolerance, and unity between races and religions in the country.
“This cultural and religious diversity forms the spirit of unity as well as the basis of harmony of the people in Sarawak.
“Thus tolerance and mutual respect are part of a policy that further strengthens the culture of integrity among the Sarawakians,” he said.
Jack said to stop the spread of Covid-19, integrity must also be nurtured by all walks of life.
“This is because we do not want any individual who has close contact with any positive cases either from abroad or in the country, let alone those who have symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, to roam around.
“For those asymptomatic, but positive, we will not be able to detect them by only checking their body temperature, unless they come to the nearest health facilities for a swab test. Therefore, honesty and integrity with each other is also important in saving lives,” he said.
Jack, who is the divisional disaster management committee chairman, also reminded the people to always take care of their health and personal hygiene by adhering to the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip, who is Jepak assemblyman, officially closed the event.