Several existing integrity-related government agencies will be temporarily consolidated under the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC).

These agencies are the National Integrity and Good Governance Department (JITN), Malaysian Integrity Institute (IIM), the Public Complaints Committee (BPA) and the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC).

In turn, the GIACC will report directly to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

GIACC chairperson Abu Kassim Mohamed announced this at a press conference in the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya today.

“This is in order to ensure the new structure and function (of the GIACC) won’t overlap (with other agencies), cost savings for the government and to facilitate the review agencies parked under the Prime Minister’s Department.

“GIACC needs to synchronise and come out with suggestions for mechanisms to re-structure how these agencies will serve the civil service,” he added.

Human rights issues to be looked into

Besides graft-related matters, the GIACC will also look into human rights issues for the government.

Kassim was accompanied by Mahathir, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.

The former MACC chief commissioner also announced that the existing Special Cabinet Committee on Government Management Competency (JKKMKPK) will be re-activated and renamed as the Special Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption (JKKMAR).

The JKKMAR has been tasked with collecting all suggestions on improving the government’s integrity, including those previously submitted to the Institutional Reform Committee (IRC).

It will then present these suggestions to the cabinet.

New laws

Kassim said he has also instructed all ministries to submit to the GIACC a minimum of three items for review on the weaknesses in existing laws, policies or rules, by July 9.

He added that several new laws were in the pipeline.

“The government will draft a law that will allow punitive action to be taken against officers who intentionally cause leakages and wastage of government funds.

“To weed out money politics, the Political Financing Act will also be drafted with immediate effect,” he said.

The former BN government under Najib Abdul Razak had initially expressed its commitment to a Political Financing Act but later delayed tabling it.

Next, Kassim said that a new National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) will be drafted to replace the existing National Integrity Plan (NIP).

All these measures were part of Pakatan Harapan’s war against graft and were related to 21 of its promises made in its 14th general election manifesto, he said.

Aside from leading the GIACC, Kassim is part of the 1MDB taskforce.