'Harapan gov't needs to better communicate its anti-graft efforts'
INTERVIEW | The Pakatan Harapan government needs to be more effective in communicating its anti-corruption efforts to the people at large, said the Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC).
The new administration does have serious intention to combat graft, but it has been lacking in informing the people on this, GIACC director-general Abu Kassim Mohamed said...
INTERVIEW | The Pakatan Harapan government needs to be more effective in communicating its anti-corruption efforts to the people at large, said the Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC).
The new administration is serious about combatting graft, but it has been lacking in informing the people on this, GIACC director-general Abu Kassim Mohamed said.
"Now the situation is different... I have had kind of a long time (in the anti-corruption field) and have seen the changes brought by the previous government, and those by the new government.
"What I see is that the government has a serious intention to address issues of graft, integrity and governance. That was also why Harapan got to be the government of today.
"The issue now is that the rakyat must be informed on these efforts," he told Malaysiakini on Monday, during an interview on the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP).
Abu Kassim, who helmed the MACC and previously from MACC's predecessor BPR (Anti-Corruption Agency), was asked for his take on the new government's commitment to fighting corruption.
Elaborating, he gave the example of initiatives that had been passed by the Cabinet Special Committee on Anti-Corruption (JKKMAR) as one of the things that were not communicated effectively to the public.
Since JKKMAR was formed last year, Abu Kassim added, it had discussed and passed a total of 61 initiatives.
'Gov't really serious in battling graft'
"(These need) to be told, shown to the rakyat as to how serious the leaders are (in fighting corruption).
"They are really serious. If they were not, the 61 papers that were passed by JKKMAR and brought to the cabinet would not have taken place.
"This is among the things that the people do not know and should be informed about. For me, the government has brought major changes (in the fight against corruption)."
During the interview, Abu Kassim was also asked about how the Harapan government could be seen as being serious in fighting corruption, especially in cases that involve their own.
This was in view of the recent development in criminal cases involving Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, the son of Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu and Deputy Home Minister Azis Jamman's aide, which had drawn criticisms against Harapan for allegedly being slow or not taking action against them.
On this, Abu Kassim said this was why every government agency and ministry should establish good communication practices to keep the public informed of any progress in its efforts to battle corruption.
"Tell the public, communicate with them what actually happens. That is what they want to know and about what action has been taken.
"For me, every agency and every ministry must have good communication to keep the public updated.
"Sometimes the people want to know the reasons (for the government action), and the reasons must be justified," Abu Kassim added.
ABU KASSIM INTERVIEW
PART 1: Political funding bill to be completed by end-2020
PART 2: Abu Kassim: IPCMC will be acid test for future oversight bodies
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