Some 190 civil servants were arrested for their involvement with corruption in 2009, Dewan Negara was told today.

liew vui keong Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Liew Vui Keong said they comprised 38 percent of the 500 arrested, a decline from 282 of 605 civil servants arrested in 2008 or 46.6 percent.

"The statement by Cuepacs is incorrect and irresponsible as it did not conduct a study and sought explanation from the government.

"I hope Cuepacs can issue a responsible statement so as not to mislead the public," he said in reply to a question by Senator Mohamad Ezam Mohd Nor who asked whether there was any truth in the Cuepacs claim that 41 percent or 418,200 of 1.2 million civil servants were involved with corruption.

Liew said the chief secretary to the government had explained that the number mentioned was the total civil servants arrested compared to the total arrested for corruption and did not involve 41 percent of civil servants.

The government had taken various initiatives to fight corruption under the National Key Result Areas like introducing the Personal Data Protection Act to protect informers.

"This is the government commitment to reduce corruption within the society," he added.

- Bernama