MACC: Whistleblower protection must be a top priority for ministry secretaries-general
MACC officer says integrity units should report directly to the commission as Malaysia targets a top-25 spot in the Corruption Perceptions Index by 2030.
KUALA LUMPUR — Whistleblower protection must be a priority for ministry secretaries-general (KSU) and department directors-general (KP) to strengthen governance and lift Malaysia's standing in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by 2030.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) National Governance Planning Division deputy director Mohd Gunawan Che Ab Aziz said the effort is essential to ensure civil servants no longer fear reporting misconduct, thereby strengthening organisational integrity.
He said secretaries-general and directors-general must translate the government's commitment to amending the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 down to the grassroots, including ensuring that integrity units in every ministry operate more independently and report directly to the MACC.
"The effectiveness of the Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) must also be made a firm key performance indicator (KPI) in determining promotions for senior-grade officers, to ensure the anti-corruption agenda is carried out effectively," he said in an article titled Menggalas Amanah CPI: Reformasi Radikal Kini di Tangan KSU dan KP.
Procurement reform
Mohd Gunawan said the two groups of top officials must also lead a comprehensive reform of government procurement and public contracting by enforcing absolute open tender and requiring beneficial ownership declarations from every bidding company.
The move, he said, is in line with the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028 to curb cronyism and the use of proxies. He also hoped the drafting of a Government Procurement Act would be expedited as a stronger legal umbrella.
He proposed that government service delivery be fully digitalised to reduce discretionary space and physical interactions that could create openings for corruption.
Artificial intelligence-based systems, algorithm-driven automatic approvals and digital audit trails, he said, could improve transparency and allow unusual decisions to be detected in real time.
"In addition, every ministry must practise stricter accountability over observations in the Auditor-General's Report (LKAN), including setting a maximum three-month period to carry out corrective or disciplinary action on weaknesses raised.
"This approach must be supported by an open data policy so that ministry spending can be transparently scrutinised by the media and the public," he said.
Mohd Gunawan stressed that Malaysia cannot be satisfied with its current showing despite climbing to 54th out of 182 countries in the CPI 2025 with a score of 52 points.
He said the country's target of being among the world's top 25 by 2030 requires a more aggressive and structured paradigm shift, with secretaries-general and directors-general acting as integrity leaders within the public administration machinery. — Bernama
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