LOCAL authorities and government agencies in the Federal Territories have been urged to renew their commitment to institutional reform, moving beyond mere procedural compliance towards a culture grounded in integrity, accountability, and moral courage.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories), Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, made the call during the launch of the Federal Territories Integrity and Anti-Corruption Governance Seminar (MPGIA) on Thursday (April 17) in Putrajaya.
“We must be honest in acknowledging our weaknesses. If we are serious about making the Federal Territories a model of resilience and transparency, we must dismantle the ‘wall of silence’ that allows wrongdoing to fester unchecked,” she said.
Dr Zaliha stressed that the time has come for public officials to not only know what is right — but to act on it, consistently and without fear.
“In Kuala Lumpur, issues such as development approvals, land matters, the regulation of small traders, contract awards, maintenance and more are often subject to abuse of power, leakages, and unhealthy gatekeeping practices,” she said.
“We cannot allow the Federal Territories to be seen as a symbol of burdensome bureaucracy. Instead, we must become a model of governance that boldly challenges the status quo—demonstrating true transparency, efficiency and accountability in how we deliver.”
“Take DBKL, for example. They’ve improved the planning permission application process significantly. What used to take hundreds of days has now been shortened—first to 43 days, and then further reduced to just 21 days.
“Over in Putrajaya, the Putrajaya Corporation (PjC) approves Development Orders in as little as nine days. These are real improvements in the way things are done, and they deserve to be acknowledged.
“But we cannot be proud of speed alone. Reform is not about shortening timelines or ticking boxes. It’s about changing how we think, how we serve, and how we lead,” she said.
Public service, she added, has long been plagued by allegations of poor governance and corruption. The seminar, therefore, serves as a crucial platform to demonstrate the government’s resolve to institutionalise integrity and raise service standards — not just for the sake of efficiency, but as a matter of principle.
Jointly organised by the Federal Territories Department (JWP) and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the seminar aimed to realign civil service values with the nation’s anti-corruption goals under the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS).
The NACS aspires to place Malaysia among the world’s top 25 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by 2033.
The event brought together senior civil servants to underscore the importance of ethical governance and institutional integrity, with a focus on empowering public sector leadership to adopt stronger anti-corruption practices and improve accountability.
Key panellists included Malaysia Integrity and Governance Society (MIG) director-general Datuk Seri Akhbar Satar, National Anti-Financial Crime Centre (NFCC) director-general Datuk Seri Shamsun Baharin Mohd Jamil, and former MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Sutinah Sutan.
The session was moderated by former MACC officers association president Datuk Mazlan Mohamad.
