KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) today welcomed the Ministry of Housing and Local Government’s initiative to integrate anti-corruption elements into the evaluation of local government councils (PBT).

MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki also shared that only 31 per cent of the 156 PBT nationwide have set up integrity units as required in the Human Resource Service Circular, Section 1.2.1, as recommended in the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

"Currently, only 49 local authorities have set up these units, which are crucial for addressing misconduct and ethical breaches,” he said in a statement.

He stressed that the establishment of integrity units is necessary for enhancing governance and public trust in local governments and offered the commission’s support and training to help the PBT that have yet to establish them.

He added that the MACC’s Agency Integrity Management Division will help the PBT in implementing the necessary functions for these units.

Azam was responding to Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming’s downgrade of 12 PBT for failing to meet the new anti-corruption criteria as reported yesterday.