‘Problematic’ civil servants risk early termination, says EAIC chief

SEPANG: The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) may look into the possibility of early termination of civil servants with poor integrity by using powers under certain law.

“We can use the powers under the existing Act to see how we can terminate their service without having their case concluded in trial court,” the commission’s chairman Tan Sri Dr Ismail Bakar said at the EAIC Coordination Meeting with enforcement agency department heads here on Thursday (June 13).

He said the EAIC is of the view that officers who are problematic should be replaced, as there are others who are willing to take the job.

“We are working on eradicating problematic officers in (government) agencies by way of early termination of their service. If the government agrees on this, it will be easier for us to perform our duties.

“There had been instances where the matter was brought to court after investigation, and we lost (the case). Hence, with the relevant laws they can be terminated instantly,” he said, adding that there had been precedence where problematic top officials were terminated by the use of laws.

Ismail said the current practice of transferring problematic officials to a different department is a vicious cycle and may not be a deterrent as these officers may repeat the same wrongdoing at the new department.

“It is also worrying that some civil servants and enforcement officers would get a third party, such as a company or an influential individual to protect their wrongdoing. The existence of cartels that are monopolising and manipulating the market especially when it comes to rice, eggs and other staples have resulted in losses for the nation.

“What is more saddening is that there are higher ups who are complicit with their subordinates’ wrongdoing and in fact some even led such activities. Such deeds have tarnished the civil service’s image,” he said.

He said if the disciplinary body of enforcement agencies do not use the recommendations of the EAIC, it sends a signal that enforcement agencies are not serious in eradicating wrongdoing.