The malaysian anti-corruption commission (macc) has called on ministry secretaries-general and department directors-general to prioritise whistleblower protection to strengthen governance and elevate malaysia's position in the corruption perceptions index (cpi) by 2030. macc's national governance planning division deputy director mohd gunawan che ab aziz said the move is critical to remove civil servants' fear of reporting misconduct and:orruption Commission (MACC) has called on ministry secretaries-general and department directors-general to prioritise whistleblower protection to strengthen governance and elevate Malaysia's position in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by 2030. MACC's National Governance Planning Division deputy director Mohd Gunawan Che Ab Aziz said the move is critical to remove civil servants' fear of reporting misconduct and, in turn, bolster organisational integrity.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Gunawan emphasized that secretaries-general and directors-general must translate the government's commitment to amending the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 down to the grassroots level, ensuring that the Integrity Unit in every ministry functions independently and reports directly to the MACC. He advocated for the Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) to serve as a key performance indicator (KPI) for promotions of high-ranking officers, thereby ensuring the anti-corruption agenda is implemented effectively.
Mohd Gunawan further articulated that beyond enhancing whistleblower protection, secretaries-general and directors-general must spearhead comprehensive reforms in public procurement and contract systems. This includes the implementation of full open tenders and mandatory declarations of beneficial ownership for all bidding companies, aligning with the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028 to curb cronyism and proxy practices. He expressed hope for the expedited passage of the Government Procurement Act to reinforce the legal framework.
He also recommended the full digitalisation of government service delivery to minimize discretion and physical interactions that could potentially lead to corruption. The use of AI systems, algorithm-driven automatic approvals, and digital audit trails would, he argued, enhance transparency and enable real-time detection of irregularities.
Moreover, Mohd Gunawan underscored the need for every ministry to adopt stricter accountability regarding reprimands in the Auditor-General's Report, suggesting a maximum three-month period for corrective or disciplinary actions on weaknesses identified. This initiative should be complemented by open data policies to allow transparent scrutiny of ministerial expenditures by the media and the public.
Despite Malaysia's rise to 54th place out of 182 countries in the 2025 CPI with a score of 52 points, Mohd Gunawan cautioned against complacency. He noted that achieving the target of reaching the top 25 by 2030 necessitates a more aggressive and structured shift, with secretaries-general and directors-general leading as champions of integrity in the public service.