MALAYSIA has performed better on the global Corruption Perception Index (CPI) during the Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi administrations as compared to Najib Razak’s government, Transparency International-Malaysia (TI-M) said today.

The anti-graft watchdog’s chairman Akhbar Satar said Malaysia’s CPI started sliding after the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

“The CPI was started in 1994 and under the former prime ministers’ time, it was alright.

“After the 1MDB and SRC International cases, it started to drop after 2014 and it kept going down.

“It will continue to drop until the issues are resolved,” Akhbar said during a forum titled ‘Malaysia a corrupt country: Facts or Propaganda” organised by Institut Darul Ehsan in Shah Alam today.

Akbar said that in 2016, Malaysia was ranked 55 out of 176 countries and in 2017, the CPI dropped to 62 out of 180 countries.

“We have dropped by seven points and this is our worst ranking. We are on par with Cuba.”

The CPI is a global aggregate index comprising perceptions of corruption in the public sector.

The data is collected from 180 countries where up to 13 different data sources are collected from experts and businessmen.

The CPI is calculated based on abuse of power for private gain and the role of public officials and institutions.

Akbar said for the to CPI improve, all unresolved cases such as 1MDB, SRC International, Felda must be investigated.

“This is to ensure Malaysians will trust that investigations are done without fear or favour.”

Akbar said that during Abdullah’s tenure, he had introduced the MACC Act in 2009 and then Ahmad Badawi introduced the MACC transformation.

“During both the prime minister’s tenure the CPI ranking was good.

“When Najib took over, the ranking in 2009 right up to 2013 was good. It was after 1MDB that it fell.”

Akbar said that Malaysia during Dr Mahathir’s tenure in 2002 had a CPI ranking 32 out of 102 countries while it was 47 out of 180 countries during Ahmad’s time. – March 8, 2018.