The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is urging that  ‘misconduct in public office’ be made an offence in order to stem corruption in the civil service.

 

Its Operations Review Panel (ORP) chief Hadenan Abdul Jalil said the proposed new provision can tackle leakages and wastage in public expenditure, such as those flagged by the auditor-general’s reports.

 

“Although most issues raised do not amount to corruption, there are weaknesses in the systems and procedures that give room and opportunity for corrupt practices,” Hadenan said in a statement today.

 

The ORP is urging the government to make the amendment to the MACC Act 2009.

Over the past six years, corruption cases are becoming more complex and sophisticated, Hadenan added.

 

He said this in conjunction with the final ORP meeting for the 2009-2015 session today, with the tenure of seven out of eight panel members expiring on Feb 23.

 

The ORP is one of five oversight bodies supervising the MACC. Its members are appointees of the prime minister.

MACC now more transparent

On the performance of MACC since it was founded in 2009, Hadenan said the founding of Special Corruption Courts have improved the handling of corruption cases and increased the conviction rate.

The MACC's investigations have also become more transparent through the use of video cameras in interrogations rooms, new questioning techniques, and a more structured investigation process that is more structured especially when it comes to multi-agency taskforces tackling large cases.

The MACC's interrogation techniques had previously came under scrutiny following the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, who was found dead on the roof of a building adjacent to an MACC after being interrogated there.

A Royal Commission of Inquiry had attributed his death to suicide due to aggressive interrogation by MACC officers.