KOTA BHARU: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is strengthening its anti-corruption education approach at the grassroots level by emulating the strategies of countries that have recorded high Corruption Perception Index (CPI) scores such as Denmark and Norway.
MACC Community Education Division director Datuk Ahmad Nizam Ismail said the grassroots approach is not because the youth are exposed to corruption, but rather to instill the value of integrity among the younger generation who are the country's future assets.
"This effort to reach out to the community is a preventive education method that emphasises character building, not just providing information about corruption offences.
"Countries like Denmark and Norway that have recorded high scores in the CPI started integrity education at the grassroots level. So, we want to emulate that approach, not just talking about corruption, but nurturing noble values in the people," he told reporters after the Opening Ceremony of the Unleash Urself @ Rakan Muda (Dikir Barat) Kelantan State Level Programme at the Kelantan State Youth and Sports Complex, here, on Saturday (Oct 18) night.
Ahmad Nizam said the MACC wanted to ensure that Malaysia's younger generation was formed with high moral and character values so that they would become a group of people with integrity who could drive the country towards progress.
"Some people think that the MACC goes down to the grassroots because this group is vulnerable to corruption, but that is not correct. The youth are the country's assets and we want them to grow up with the values of integrity, honesty and not taking the rights of others.
"The move to educate the community through this value education approach is also in line with the launch of the 'Keep Malaysia Clean' initiative by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Oct 1, in conjunction with the celebration of MACC's 58th anniversary," he said.
According to him, the MACC's long-term goal is to make Malaysia among the world's top 25 countries in the CPI by instilling integrity awareness at all levels of society, starting from the grassroots.
Meanwhile, he said cultural arts programmes such as dikir barat were also seen as an effective medium in uniting the community and delivering anti-corruption messages creatively.
"MACC plans to elevate this cultural art to a higher level, not only in Kelantan but also at the national level," he said. - Bernama
