Mr Anwar spoke out against corruption, stating that the money lost to corrupt practices could have been used to improve people’s livelihoods. He emphasized the need to remove greedy individuals from positions of power in order to combat corruption effectively.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is currently engaged in a corruption crackdown targeting prominent businessmen and former politicians, some of whom are political rivals of Mr Anwar from the late 1990s. Individuals under investigation include former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and businessmen associated with former finance minister Daim Zainuddin.
Despite accusations of political motivation, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri praised the MACC for its efforts in investigating high-profile individuals suspected of abusing their power. He stressed the importance of combating corruption using a powerful, committed, and courageous force, as well as through strong legislation and norms.
The new national anti-corruption strategy in Malaysia focuses on integrity, transparency, and accountability in various sectors such as politics, public administration, government procurement, law enforcement, and the judiciary. The strategy includes five main categories and 60 sub-categories to be implemented between 2024 and 2028.
TV3 reported that between 2012 and 2023, over RM1 million in incentives were given to civil servants who reported corruption offenses or provided related information. Civil servants who report offenses are entitled to an incentive equivalent to the amount they were offered as bribes if the case leads to prosecution and conviction.
It is unclear how the government plans to extend this incentive scheme to the general public. The emphasis on education, public accountability, the people’s voice, enforcement, and incentives in the national anti-corruption strategy reflects a comprehensive approach to tackling corruption in Malaysia.
