KUCHING: A total 10 civil servants in Sarawak were detained for various corruption-related offences since the beginning of the year until Dec 15.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Sarawak director Badrul Shah Norman said the civil servants were among 57 people detained in the state so far this year.
Speaking at a dinner event with the media here last night, he revealed the number included 13 civilians and a civil servant arrested through Ops Tukul which was launched in October to fight corruption connected to illegal logging.
To-date, 42 of them had already been brought to court, including nine arrested in Ops Tukul, he said again.
“The civilians were detained for giving bribes while the detained civil servants received the bribe,” he said.
On a related matter, he described the Corporate Integrity Pledge ceremony with Sarawak timber industry players, organised jointly with Sarawak Forests Department on November 17 this year, as a success.
“It was a historic milestone as for the first time ever, these giant companies in the timber industry in Sarawak have taken this pledge to be transparent and have integrity in their business dealings and logging activities,” he said.
Badrul said the MACC would continue to be more proactive in tackling corruption issues brought up by the public and is determined to engage with non-governmental organisations, community leaders, the private sector and local communities in sending out the anti-corruption message.
He pledged MACC Sarawak will make more attempts next year to be more proactive in corruption-related issues voiced out by the people.