MALAYSIA needs to improve its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) as the latest report by Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) yesterday had exposed the country’s weak administrative framework, an anti-graft body said.

The Center to Combat Corruption and Cronyism (C4), in a statement, urged the government to introduce several reforms in order to fix the CPI score. 

“C4 is deeply troubled by Malaysia’s score of 47 points, ranked at the 61st spot alongside countries like China, Cuba, Armenia and Jordan; backtracking by as many as six points within the span of these three to four years (2019-2022).

“The damaging result positions Malaysia as a struggling nation desperate to rise beyond the worsening sociopolitical and economic depression perpetuated by widespread corruption,” it said.

Yesterday, TI-M said Malaysia needs to do more to improve its international standards on corruption after its CPI dropped by one point to 47 in 2022, where 0 is perceived to be highly corrupted and 100 is perceived to be very clean.

Its president Muhammad Mohan said one of the reasons the ratings could have dropped was the carrying out of several stimulus packages during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From a score of 53 in 2019, Malaysia’s score has fallen six points over the past three years.

TI-M, in the report, said this drop is statistically significant, indicating that the country is heading in the wrong direction with regard to fighting corruption, supporting human rights and democracy in the public sector.

Among the recommendations suggested by C4 are to revise and amend the existing Whistleblowers Protection Act 2010, reform the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, the separate the powers of the attorney-general and the public prosecutor’s office, enact the political funding/financing act and to legislate a public procurement act.

“It is worth noting that last week, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared that corruption is the main threat against the nation. It is now more important than ever for the prime minister to “put action” into his words by carrying out long overdue reforms.

“The continual slide in perceptions will also have a negative economic impact in terms of foreign investors’ confidence at a time when Malaysia needs all the support it can get to revitalise a troubled economy,” it added.

Due to the importance of the issue, C4 calls on Putrajaya to look into any outstanding and critical reform efforts, particularly those aligned to the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) 2019-2023 initiatives.

“C4 remains steadfast in advocating for robust institutional reforms, and stands ready to provide assistance to realise the many initiatives discussed and proposed under the NACP.

“The corruption that threatens to undermine the nation’s institutions in favour of the self-interests of certain individuals must be arrested before Malaysia’s governance worsens to the point of no return,” it said.

In November, C4 had urged Anwar to keep transparency, accountability and anti-corruption at the heart of his new government.

The group also reminded Anwar that his government would come across various challenges but urged him not to sacrifice good governance in favour of “convenience, efficiency” or political expediency. – February 1, 2023.