CM: Reward those who report graft
‘Don’t blacklist whistleblowers’
MELAKA: The state is looking at offering rewards for whistleblowers who report corruption involving its agencies to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron said the state government would discuss the matter, as well as the best way to implement it.
He added that contractors and suppliers should be given bigger contracts instead of being blacklisted for reporting corrupt practices in government agencies.
“Rewards will also be given to media agencies that do the same,” he said at the state government administration monthly assembly by the Melaka MACC at the Seri Negeri Hall in Ayer Keroh here.
Also present was state MACC director Abu Talib Othman.
Idris said the same proposal also called for heavier penalties on those who made false reports to curb the spread of false news by irresponsible parties.
On a separate matter, Idris said all state departments and agencies that had yet to sign its corporate integrity pledge (CIP) should do so by February.
He said that to date, 32 departments and agencies had signed the CIP, an initiative by the state government to strengthen its administrative machinery.
Abu Talib said 9,815 civil servants in the state had registered as members of the MACC’s Gerakan Revolusi Anti-Rasuah (Gerah) as of yesterday.
He thanked Idris for directing civil servants in the state to do so.
“Such a directive shows that the Chief Minister and state government are very supportive of the MACC’s initiative to eradicate corruption,” he said.
At the assembly, 24 heads of department, led by Deputy State Secretary (Management) Datuk Maslina Baki, signed the corruption-free pledge (IBR) before it was presented to Abu Talib.
IBR is an initiative by the MACC to emphasise the oath of individuals to uphold their responsibility against corruption when carrying out their duties.
It was reported that up to Nov 7, 666 organisations had signed the IBR, including 22 ministries, 381 departments and 86 statutory bodies.