It is not wrong to give cash to whistleblowers, says MACC chief

KUALA LUMPUR: Rewarding civil servants with cash for exposing corruption is not wrong but it should not be the sole focus, says Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Com­mis­sion (MACC) chief commissioner pointed out that offering cash incentives to whistleblowers was just one of the many initiatives in tackling corruption.

“There are many more activities and campaigns done by us which should be taken into account. Is it wrong for us to reward those who refuse to accept a bribe? We are showing our appreciation to those who choose to remain clean, and we look up to these people,” he said after launching the MACC’s anti-corruption posters and painted messages on three Mara Liner buses at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan yesterday.

Civil servants who report cases of corruption are entitled to receive an incentive equal to the amount offered in the bribes, with the lowest sum set at RM500.

However, of the 1.6 million civil servants, only 0.01% have reported cases so far.

In acknowledging this, Dzulkifli said it should not be equated to many civil servants on the take or that they were not serious about eradicating corruption.

“As a matter of fact, we do have a number of them coming directly to provide information but they do not want to lodge an official report.

“Some refuse the bribes offered to them but choose to just tip us off without eyeing a reward,” he said.

On another matter, Dzulkifli opined that “sharks” were now fearful of the MACC due to the “aggressive action” against offenders.

“Clearly, we managed to instil a sense of fear. Many people I meet say they can see fewer giving or taking bribes.

“We see this as a positive sign. We will continue with new arrests, probes and charges every week,” he said.

Later in Putrajaya, Dzulkifli said they would wage a war against illegal gambling den operators and put a stop to their illegal business.

He said the time had come for the issue to be looked into seriously and aggressively, including licensed outlets and cybercafes which al­­lowed online gambling in their premises.

“The issue of gambling dens operating illegally is not new. In fact, even the Deputy Prime Minis­ter has spoken about it. But we don’t see the number of these outlets decreasing.

“I think it is about time we take aggressive action against the operators and those who protect them,” he said after a dialogue with NGO Fight Against Illegal Activities Movement or GBAH.