Malaysia’s all-out war against corruption, regardless of position of status, whether "small-ones" or "big-ones", must not be a "five-minute fever" but a long-term commitment involving an all-sided involvement by all sectors of the civil society to create a new political culture of public integrity with zero tolerance for corruption.
In September, Malaysia will be participating in the 8th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) to be held in Lima, Peru from 7 - 11 September 1997. The main themes of the 9th IACC includes: "Defining the challenge of corruption"; "Sharpening the tools for the fight against corruption"; "Empowering civil society in the fight against corruption" and "Broadening international co-operation".
Malaysia also participated in the 7th International Anti-Corruption Conference held in Beijing in 1995.
I call on the Cabinet on Wednesday to take a policy decision to make a bid in the IACC in Lima to host the 9th IACC in Kuala Lumpur in 1999 to show the world that Malaysia is prepared to take her rightful place as one of the few countries in the world which is serious about an all-out war against corruption.
The Cabinet should decide that Malaysia send a strong delegation to the IACC in Lima in September, but only to back the bid for hosting the 9th IACC in 1999, but to show the country’s commitment to be in vanguard in the world in the fight against corruption. I would also suggest that MPs as well as representatives of the Malaysian civil society should be included in the Malaysian delegation to Lima.
The Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) had been the driving force behind the IACC that had been held every two years since 1983.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency should now be prepared to play an active role as the driving force behind the IACC, in keeping with the all-out war against corruption which had been launched by the Acting Prime Minister.
(29/6/97)