KUALA LUMPUR – The corruption perception index (CPI) special task force has been established to spearhead efforts to improve Malaysia’s standing in the CPI, an international measure of perceived public sector corruption.
According to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, this task force is responsible for overseeing and coordinating various focus groups tasked with analysing survey findings and making recommendations to improve the CPI ranking.
“The focus group will play a role based on the terms of reference, which is to analyse the findings of the survey and related indicators and recommend improvement proposals to the special task force,” Azam told Bernama.
The key areas of focus include enforcement, public fund management, business competitiveness, investment risk, legislation, and strategic communication. These clusters aim to enhance transparency, integrity, and governance, while also addressing issues related to corruption.
Azam further explained that these focus groups are expected to engage with stakeholders to bolster confidence in the government’s efforts. They will also develop strategies to enhance Malaysia’s score and position in the CPI, reporting their findings to the CPI special task force, which in turn will present recommendations to the Special Cabinet Committee on National Governance.
Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Political Sociology Lecturer Professor Datuk Sivamurugan Pandian, a member of the CPI special task force, noted that this approach enables a comprehensive study of corruption sources.
“The focus group will find ways to improve so that Malaysia’s desire to be in the group of 25 countries in the CPI by 2033 will be achieved,” he said, adding that the group’s work goes beyond corruption and includes governance, transparency, and democracy, Bernama reported.
The CPI special task force is led by the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission, the Finance Ministry, and the Malaysian Productivity Corporation, with participation from other key ministries and departments, including the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry, and the Communications Ministry.
The CPI, released annually by Transparency International since 1995, ranks countries based on perceived corruption. Malaysia’s ranking improved from 61 in 2022 to 57 in 2023.
The government’s objective is to further elevate Malaysia’s position, with a goal to reach the top 25 by 2033, as outlined in the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-term review. – October 6, 2024