ALOR SETAR: Apart from enforcement, prevention and public awareness need to be strengthened to tackle crimes and abuses that have implications for national security and the economy, says Datuk Junipah Wandi.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy chief commissioner said that this is especially for high-risk areas vulnerable to smuggling, cross- border crime, duty-free abuse and customs issues.
Junipah, from the management and professional division, said such crimes and abuses would not only impair administrative efficiency but also erode investor confidence, tarnish the nation’s image and harm the public’s overall well-being.
“Every loophole in the system creates an opportunity for corruption. If these are not plugged, they grow into syndicates, become ingrained as a culture and eventually threaten the nation.
“As such, alongside enforcement, we must continue strengthening prevention and public awareness efforts,” she said in a statement yesterday, following the opening of the Kedah MACC Langkawi branch office.
Junipah noted that Langkawi is not merely a tourist spot but a key national gateway with the flow of people, goods and economic activity.
The Langkawi MACC office forms part of the national effort to reinforce enforcement integrity and plug loopholes that threaten national interests, she added.
“Operating from this new location is not just about relocation but a step to enhance the organisation’s capacity for more effective and structured enforcement, prevention and monitoring,” she said, as reported by Bernama.
Junipah added that the MACC hopes the Langkawi office will become a more responsive action hub, not just receiving tip-offs but capable of detecting, investigating and acting swiftly and decisively.
“Society’s role as the MACC’s eyes and ears is no longer a choice. It is a collective duty to rid the country of corruption,” she said.
The Langkawi MACC branch was established on Dec 1, 1993, in the Tabung Haji building before moving to the Langkawi Development Authority complex in 1996.
