Malaysia makes progress in graft fight

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has completed 41 of the 60 sub-strategies under the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028, marking progress in efforts to strengthen governance and combat corruption.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) National Governance Planning Division Senior Director Datuk Idris Zaharudin said the achievement reflected the government's efforts to translate policy commitments into concrete action across ministries and agencies.

Launched in May 2024 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, NACS provides a comprehensive framework to strengthen governance, integrity and accountability through legislative reforms, institutional improvement, the integration of anti-corruption education into school and university curricula, and stronger private sector accountability through corporate integrity programmes.

Speaking to the New Straits Times, Idris said the strategy was not merely a continuation of the previous anti-corruption plan, but an adoption of a more structured, phased and measurable approach to implementation.

"NACS was developed as a comprehensive strategic framework integrating legislative reforms, system enhancements, educational empowerment and collective involvement from the private sector and civil society," he said.

Among its key achievements are the enactment of the Border Control and Protection Agency Act 2025, the Government Procurement Act 2025 and the Parliamentary Services Act 2025.

NACS has also driven amendments to the Immigration Act 2025 and the Whistleblower Protection Act 2025, alongside the implementation of job rotation policies and the Demerit Performance Evaluation (DEEP) system.

Other measures include guidelines clarifying the roles and responsibilities of National Audit Department officers stationed in internal audit units at ministries, government departments, agencies and state secretariats.

Idris said NACS should not be treated as a static policy document, as governance challenges and institutional reforms need to evolve.

"More importantly, NACS is not viewed as a static policy document. It is a living document that evolves alongside current challenges and dynamic institutional reform needs," he said.

He said a key focus was ensuring that progress could be monitored systematically through two digital dashboards developed by the division and hosted on MACC servers.

"The r-NACS dashboard serves as an internal quarterly performance-monitoring tool between the NACS Secretariat and lead agencies, while the d-NACS dashboard provides public access to implementation information, including completed sub-strategies and key outputs by agency," he said.

Idris said the data-driven approach would strengthen accountability among implementing agencies besides allowing problems to be identified and addressed more quickly.

He added that the main challenge was ensuring reforms were implemented effectively at operational and grassroots levels.

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"The primary challenge now lies not at the strategy formulation stage, but in the capability to execute it effectively and comprehensively at the grassroots level," he said.

The reforms extend beyond enforcement, with education identified as a core component in building a long-term culture of integrity.

Integrity and anti-corruption modules have been incorporated into higher-learning institutions, alongside efforts to strengthen integrity-related content in primary and secondary school curricula.

Idris described education as a long-term investment in developing a generation capable of strengthening the country's institutions and leadership.

"Education is no longer considered a supporting component, but a core strategy in building a sustainable anti-corruption ecosystem," he said.

The strategy also emphasises the role of the private sector, particularly in government procurement, where public and corporate interests intersect.

Companies participating in public procurement are required to declare their beneficiary owners, while those bidding for government construction contracts worth more than RM100 million are subject to measures promoting the MS ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management Systems (ABMS) certification.

Tax incentives for companies obtaining ISO 37001 ABMS accreditation are also among measures aimed at encouraging stronger corporate anti-corruption practices, complementing corporate liability provisions under Section 17A of the MACC Act 2009.

Meanwhile, Malaysia aims to rank among the top 25 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by 2030.

A special CPI task force has been established to identify gaps and formulate strategic interventions in enforcement, public fund management, business competitiveness, investment risks and legislative reform.

Idris said the anti-corruption agenda required sustained participation across the public sector, corporate world and civil society.

"The true effectiveness of NACS will not only be measured by the number of sub-strategies completed, but by the extent to which systemic change can be felt by the public through services that are more transparent, efficient and fair," he said.

With 41 sub-strategies completed, the next phase will focus on sustaining implementation, strengthening coordination and ensuring reforms translate into lasting institutional change.

NACS succeeds the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) 2019-2023 and aims to position Malaysia as a corrupt-free and prosperous nation.

It comprises 60 sub-strategies overseen by 20 government ministries, departments and agencies, including MACC and the National Audit Department.