KUALA LUMPUR: Integrity is essential to the Defence Ministry’s mission, says Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, who introduced three initiatives to strengthen responsibility and transparency.
The Defence Minister said fostering integrity is crucial to creating a transparent, trustworthy governance system aligned with Malaysia Madani principles.
“Integrity is paramount,” he said in his Integrity Day 2024 speech here on Tuesday (Nov 12), pointing to the importance of a strong ethical foundation, as emphasised in the Quran.
The first initiative, Khaled said, involves establishing clear, streamlined procedures to reduce bureaucracy and minimise corruption risks.
“Integrity issues often arise when there are complex procedures that frustrate both ministry personnel and the public,” he added.
In response, the ministry has set up a service delivery improvement monitoring committee (JP4) to ensure that processes meet the public’s needs effectively.
Khaled also stressed the role of technology in enhancing integrity, advocating the use of big data analytics, AI and other digital tools to monitor trends, improve performance, and detect leaks in the system.
“While implementing this technology will take time and cost, it is a necessary step to strengthen transparency and productivity,” he said.
The third initiative focuses on embedding integrity as a core value among ministry staff.
“Ultimately, integrity is about human behaviour,” Khaled said, stressing the need to cultivate a sense of responsibility and ethical values.
He warned that greed and neglect of duty could undermine the ministry’s mission, particularly in defence, where integrity cannot be compromised.
To support this vision, Khaled shared that awareness programmes and integrity-focused activities would continue across the ministry.
He said there are plans to expand these initiatives within both the ministry and the Malaysian Armed Forces next year, aiming for a comprehensive approach to strengthen the culture of integrity.
