Dr Sim (fifth right), MACC Sarawak director Mohd Zaki Hassan and other guests during the launch of the Sarawak-level International Anti-Corruption Day. Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (Dec 9): Plans are in the pipeline to set up Integrity units in all local councils statewide, said Local Government and Housing Minister Dato Sri Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He said this is in line with efforts to strengthen integrity across all these local councils beginning next year (2021).
“As we know, the Sarawak state government is very serious about integrity and anti-corruption. As we can see, integrity units had been set up at most ministries, government departments, and agencies.
“In line with the Sarawak government’s directive, there are programmes and events related to integrity which had been implemented this year.
“For instance, my ministry had carried out Integrity Day 2020 on Jan 21 this year. A corruption free pledge by all officers from my ministry and all agencies under my ministry was done during the event. All newly appointed councillors also make corruption free pledge when appointed,” he said when officiating the Sarawak-level International Anti Corruption Day 2020 today at Wisma Bapa Malaysia.
Dr Sim said today’s event was in line with the event’s theme chosen by Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) for Malaysia which was ‘Local Authorities Fight Corruption’.
He also commented that the international theme for the International Anti Corruption Day 2020 namely ‘Recover With Integrity’ was also appropriate particularly at this time when most countries and their governments, including Sarawak, invest heavily in the health sector while also implementing various economic recovery stimulus packages.
“We need to put anti-corruption measures, transparency and accountability measures in place in order to counter all form of leakages that can jeopardize our efforts. Thus, we must fight corruption in the same way we are combating against the Covid-19 pandemic to enable us recover with integrity,” he said.
He also said his ministry had launched its Organizational Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) 2021-2025 on Nov 25, which contains six objectives, 10 strategies and 101 initiatives to be implemented.
“My ministry plans to engage the local councils to come up with their own OACP in 2021 (next year),” he said.
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