PUTRAJAYA, Dec 7 ― The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is prepared to place its officers at all the offices of the mentris besar and chief ministers to strengthen their integrity and curb corruption and abuse of power at the state level.

MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Prevention) Datuk Shamshun Baharin Mohd Jamil said the move to have MACC officers in the mentris besar and chief ministers’ offices was an initiative by Chief Commissioner Latheefa Koya.

He said the commission is prepared to do so, but it will be subjected to the request of the mentri besar and chief minister's office concerned.

Several states, including Johor and Perak, had submitted an official application for the purpose, but the process involves the Public Service Department, he told reporters after launching the Walkabout Perdana Programme in conjunction with the International Anti-Corruption (HARA) Day 2019 at the Precinct 8 public market, here today.

Also present was Malaysian Anti-Corruption Foundation (YARM) president Datuk Seri Zakaria Jaafar.

Asked if the MACC had enough members for the placement, Shamshun said there were currently 2,800 MACC personnel and the number was inadequate.

However, he said, the government had agreed to provide an additional 100 personnel every year and and this would facilitate the commission in discharging its functions more effectively.

On HARA 2019, Shamshun said the simultaneous celebration across the country was aimed at engaging all parties in the fight against corruption and creating a culture among the public to say "No” to corruption.

He said this year the small traders and hawkers were the focus to prepare them for the implementation of the corporate liability law that would come into effect in June 2020.

Shamshun said the MACC would use every platform to disseminate the anti-corruption message so that Malaysia's hope of being recognised for its integrity rather than corruption was achieved.

He said various efforts had been made by the government to reduce corruption in all sectors .

"In the MACC, our focus remains on civil servants as those arrested in recent years were mostly among civil servants,” he said, adding that under the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) 2019-2023, among the measures taken by the government is to strengthen and enhance integrity of the civil servants. ― Bernama