C4 urges transparency in MACC-Customs port task force

The proposed special task force between the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM) to tackle revenue leakages at ports has been described as a positive step, but its roles and powers must be spelt out clearly.

C4's head of research and policy advocacy, Arief Hamizan, said in a statement that channels for the public to demand transparency should also be strengthened, alongside reducing the bureaucracy of secrecy in order to build public confidence.

"This (the setting up of the MACC-JKDM task force) is a positive step, but its role, powers and implementation mechanisms need to be clearly defined," he said.

"Strong guidelines are needed to ensure the task force operates effectively, avoids overlapping responsibilities and delivers meaningful impact in addressing enforcement and governance weaknesses," he added.

MACC-Customs talks

MACC chief commissioner Abd Halim Aman was quoted on July 15 as saying the proposal was among matters discussed with his Customs counterpart, Amran Ahmad.

Also discussed were challenges relating in particular to customs inspection matters, as well as red tape and various domestic issues faced by Customs.

Amran shared information on the tactics of syndicates that evade tax payments, including smuggling activities and the falsification of information or documents to obtain approvals under different categories.

The development comes as industry players raise governance issues at ports, particularly over alleged discrepancies between bills of lading and the physical movement of petroleum cargo.

Call for institutional reform

Arief stressed that efforts to strengthen enforcement must be backed by broader institutional reform to raise the level of transparency and accountability within government agencies.

He said reform proposals including the introduction of freedom of information legislation and the establishment of a federal Ombudsman office to investigate and resolve public complaints against government bodies could strengthen public oversight.

"The success of these reforms depends on how far their implementation framework is aligned with international best practices in creating public institutions that are more open, responsive and trusted," he said.