Kuala lumpur: ASEAN member states should strengthen regional integrity through shared accountability and closer public-private cooperation in the fight against corruption, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. She emphasized that ASEAN’s fast-paced development must be anchored in transparency, integrity, and justice to ensure that economic progress does not come at the expense of public trust.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Azalina highlighted that values safeguarding fairness and justice must remain central to ASEAN’s progress. She described integrity not merely as a moral duty but as the foundation of inclusive and sustainable societies. Her remarks were delivered at the opening of the 21st ASEAN Parties Against Corruption (ASEAN-PAC) Principals Meeting, where she also witnessed the handover of the ASEAN-PAC Chairmanship from Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Vice Chairman Fitroh Rohcahyanto to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
Azalina stated that Malaysia’s ongoing legal and institutional reforms reflect the country’s belief that the fight against corruption must transcend borders and be embraced as a regional mission. Meanwhile, Azam remarked that Malaysia’s assumption of the ASEAN-PAC Chairmanship symbolizes both a regional responsibility and a renewed commitment to strengthening solidarity among anti-corruption institutions. He noted that Malaysia’s Chairmanship will focus on empowering ASEAN’s anti-graft collaboration through innovation, digital coordination, and knowledge exchange.
Azam also announced the launch of the ASEAN-PAC Portal, a digital platform designed to facilitate coordination and promote transparency among member agencies, underscoring the importance of aligning integrity with economic competitiveness. Outgoing Chairman Fitroh Rohcahyanto expressed appreciation to all ASEAN-PAC members for their continued support throughout Indonesia’s Chairmanship, citing the successful implementation of regional initiatives such as the ASEAN-PAC Capacity Building Workshop and Anti-Corruption Film Festival.
Rohcahyanto stated confidence that with Malaysia at the helm, ASEAN-PAC will continue to provide substantive recommendations to the ASEAN Summit and play a greater role in shaping anti-corruption policy across the region. The three-day meeting, concluding on October 30, brought together the region’s top anti-corruption officials along with international partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the United Nations Development Programme.