MACC: Covid-19 pandemic slowed down the economy but did not stop corruption

PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): The Covid-19 pandemic may have disrupted economic growth and social activities nationwide but it did not stop corruption and abuse of power, says Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki.

In this regard, he said MACC, as the main agency in the prevention of corruption, was committed to implement enforcement, prevention and education to combat all forms of corruption and abuse of power.

"Enforcement is punitive action when acts of corruption and abuse are detected," he said when addressing the Integrity Day celebration and the launch of the Youth and Sports Ministry Organisation Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) here Tuesday (Nov 9).

On April 10, Azam said the MACC had detected an increase in big corruption cases involving crime syndicates and cartels as well as civil servants since Covid-19 hit the country early last year.

The increase is believed to be a result of the economic downturn due to the pandemic, which has put more individuals under pressure, he said.

Azam said the cooperation of all parties was important to ensure that corruption never becomes a culture in life.

"In fact, this crime must be viewed with contempt and disgust. Shoulder the trust and task given with full integrity, even if the burden is heavy, as there lies within a great reward," he said.

At the event, Azam advised the ministry and its agencies to be careful in matters of fund management and assistance after being given a relatively large financial allocation for youth development in Budget 2022.

"The larger the funds allocated, the higher the risk of malpractice. Most likely there will be irresponsible parties sniffing out opportunities to line their own pockets.

"Therefore, it is a big challenge for the ministry and its agencies to ensure that all allocations, funds and assistance are managed with integrity and transparency," he said. – Bernama