PUTRAJAYA: No one is above the law when it comes to corruption, including those working under the Prime Minister, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In his keynote address at the launch of International Anti-Corruption Day, the Prime Minister stressed that officers serving in his own office are not exempt from investigation and must be reported to preserve the integrity of public institutions.
“If there is a case involving civil servants and, coincidentally, they are our personnel, then it should be reported. Enforcement agencies must be prepared to take action against our own people to ensure the country remains protected from corruption.
“So imagine if they are from my own office — I will not protect them. I will inform (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri) Azam Baki and will not shield anyone. They are not exempt from the law,” he said at the Plenary Hall, Putrajaya International Convention Centre here on Friday (Dec 5).
Anwar added that the same principle applies even to officers in key institutions such as the MACC, the Chief Secretary to the Government’s office and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“This is so we can strengthen our defence of the country with integrity and ensure it is clean from corruption,” he said.
The Prime Minister, who is also Finance Minister, expressed disbelief over the practice of glorifying individuals linked to corrupt activities.
He said that while the Madani government does not reject all traditions from the past, the nation must move away from what he described as “morally decaying systems” and a culture that treats corruption as ordinary or even admirable.
“In this Madani government, we do not discard everything old. There are traditions worth preserving. But the desire for change must be there, especially to abandon broken systems and practices that sometimes glorify the wrong people,” he said.
Anwar said corruption has been normalised in society for too long, creating a troubling trend where certain groups elevate and even defend those who offer bribes.
“Some say, ‘A person with power who does not take bribes is foolish.’ This shows how damaged our culture has become.
“Today, we even see those who glorify the givers of bribes. We criticise the ones who accept it, but the giver is treated like a hero or a fighter. How can a country operate like that? It destroys our values and cultural system,” he added.
Anwar said the government machinery, including the Chief Secretary to the Government and all civil service agencies, must cultivate a culture of integrity at every level.
Highlighting current efforts, he said the government has prioritised full support for enforcement bodies such as the MACC, the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), Bank Negara Malaysia, the police and the Customs Department.
“When we empower these agencies and coordinate their efforts, they can act firmly. In the past two years, we have saved RM15.5bil. Think about where that money would have gone if we hadn’t acted? It would have gone into the pockets of thieves,” he said.
