KUCHING, Nov 24 — Sarawak state ministers and their deputies who instruct state civil servants to do things against the ombudsman law will not escape from being penalised.
Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said the ombudsman law is meant for the civil service but action can be taken against state ministers and their deputies under other laws.
“Let us say that a minister or deputy minister gives instructions, but they are exempted from the ombudsman law. If there are legitimate evidence, then we have other law to investigate the minister or deputy minister.
“Nobody is exempted, although the ombudsman law is meant for the civil service, we have other laws to deal with the ministers and deputy ministers,” the premier said at the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) Integrity Day here today.
He said he wants the state government to be clean and mean it, not just preaching it.
He said that within the Sarawak Ombudsman Law, the state government must be transparent and good governance.
“Now that we have the force law the way we run the state,” the premier said referring to the recent passage of the Sarawak Ombudsman Ordinance in the current sitting of the State Assembly.
He said the state has a high integrity of civil service, but sometimes “we forget the core values of running the state.
He said any allegations of maladministration involving the civil servants will be thoroughly investigated.
He said a penalty will be imposed on the civil servants if the investigation reveals that there is enough evidence against them.
“This is what the ombudsman law is all about,” he said, adding that civil servants need not worry if they are free of any maladministration.
He said he wants to inculcate the best system so the people and investors have confidence in the state government.
“If you have a high level of confidence, the investors will come and our economy will be sustainable, and our state will prosper and we will have a strong financial system,” he said.
SDEC chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Husain, in his speech, pledged the company’s commitment to upholding the state’s integrity.
He said it has put in place strong governance mechanisms, policies, and training programmes to ensure that all its staff understands the importance of this value.
“We will continue to emphasise ethical behaviour and hold ourselves accountable for any lapses,” he said.
