PUTRAJAYA: All government departments should review outdated or obsolete laws and propose suitable amendments that reflect current needs, says Tan Sri Azam Baki (pic).
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) chief commissioner said law reform is a key agenda item that must be taken seriously to prevent negative public perceptions towards government agencies.
“Any outdated or unclear standard operating procedure (SOP) should be improved or amended to align with current demands of society and expectations of all relevant stakeholders,” he said in his speech during a seminar by the Federal Territories Department on governance, integrity and anti-corruption strengthening yesterday, Bernama reported.
Azam’s speech was delivered by MACC deputy chief commissioner (prevention) Datuk Azmi Kamaruzaman.
Launched by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, the seminar was attended by about 200 personnel from the department.
He emphasised that all aspects of management, frontline services and procurement processes must be governed by transparent and integrity-driven systems.
“For example, in enforcement matters, continuous monitoring of personnel, such as tracking signs of excessive or lavish lifestyles, should be carried out by department heads. When incidents occur, the government is often blamed. It is important to recognise that such perceptions can arise when certain agencies lack effective oversight and proper management systems,” he said.
Azam also said MACC had clear Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for matters such as arrests, detention and lock-up processes.
Citing the case of the death of witness Teoh Beng Hock, Azam said at the time, the MACC’s media management lacked experience and efficiency, which led to the failure of accurate information reaching both the public and internal stakeholders.
“We learnt from that mistake how to respond more effectively to the media and discern which ones are not worth engaging.
“What matters most is that the public receives clear information and a proper understanding of the issues at hand,” he said.
Meanwhile, in her speech, Dr Zaliha called on the department to establish a dedicated governance and integrity task force for all three Federal Territories.
She also stressed the importance of each division and agency conducting self-audits of their existing SOPs and work processes to identify areas for continuous improvement.
