KUALA LUMPUR: The International Review Panel (IRP) yesterday concluded that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) Transformation Programme is in the right direction in terms of enforcement and prosecution of corruption.
Panellist Daniel Li Ming Chak, who is former deputy commissioner of the Hong Kong International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), said the MACC was improving with a positive attitude in terms of investigation, prevention and educating the public on corruption.
“MACC is doing quite a lot, inward and outward, simply to make the commission a professional agency in fighting corruption,” he said at a news conference, here yesterday.
Li is IRP panellist appointed to review MACC’s anti-graft policies, work procedures and best practices along with IACA Programme and Activity coordinator, Prof Alan Doig and former Hong Kong solicitor-general and commissioner of the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Bertrand de Speville.
To a question on the IRP’s recommendations for MACC, Li said that considering the current workload and various initiatives undertaken, it needed more manpower to sustain the organisation’s effectiveness.
Meanwhile, de Speville noted that public perception of MACC handling just small complaints had to be removed, as it had the mandate to lead the country’s anti-corruption drive and it was on the right track to do so.
“The important thing is, the MACC has an investigation policy that they will investigate every allegation that is brought to them.
“It’s not important whether they are handling ‘small fish’ or ‘big fish’ cases, but the anti-corruption body must act against every complaint made. Looking at the distribution chart, small cases are larger in number,” he said.
He also said that changing public perception and gaining public confidence was not easy, but it should not be a barrier for the MACC to achieve the desired result in fighting corruption.
The MACC Transformation Programme, implemented since 2011, focuses on three aspects, namely operation, human capital and prevention measures against corruption. — Bernama