Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) has commended the federal government for recognising the worsening perception of corruption and launching the National Key Result Area (NKRA) to fight the scourge.

Its president Paul Low said it was encouraging that the independent and internationally benchmarked Key Performance Indicators (KPI), TI's Corruption Perception Index and Global Corruption Barometer, had been adopted.

"There are many encouraging proposals, such as tackling petty corruption at enforcement agencies and grand corruption by politicians and senior civil servants, whistleblower protection and reducing leakages in government procurement," he said in a statement today.

He suggested that additional steps that be taken, including strengthening the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and other institutions which safeguard integrity and justice to ensure that they act without fear or favour.

"Reforms in political financing must not give unfair advantage or disadvantage to any party, and the government should ensure that its agencies and employees are apolitical.

"TI-M reiterates the crucial importance of the political will of political and government leaders to fight corruption and instill a culture of zero-tolerance of corruption, and to do so by setting the tone and leading by example," he added.

Among the measures on fighting corruption outlined in the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) roadmap launched by Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday are to increase the TI Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score from 4.5 to 4.9 this year and the percentage of respondents agreeing that the government's action in fighting corruption is effective in TI's Global Corruption Barometer from 28 per cent to 37 per cent this year.

- Bernama