MACC chief: Corruption in Malaysia getting worse

PETALING JAYA, Nov 13 — Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Datuk Seri Shukri Abdull said today the local graft menace was worsening.

According to The Malaysian Insight, Shukri told a forum in Putrajaya earlier today that this was based on several recent international indicators, surveys and studies.

Shukri reportedly said it was worrying nobody was willing to give a frank assessment to the question of how bad corruption was in Malaysia.

“The facts are there. Take, for example, the corruption perception index, 2014 we scored 52. We barely passed, it is a C-grade.”

Shukri pointed out surveys conducted by KPMG, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the Global Corruption Barometer, which all found corruption to be worsening.

He also said the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal put the country on the world map for corruption.

“Last year, we were known in the world as a kleptocratic nation. We were not known as a country with integrity. This is shameful,” he told the forum.

Shukri added that businessmen and students agree that corruption in the country was normal to get things done quickly.

“In the UKM study on students’ perception of graft, 30 per cent were willing to pay bribes if there was a need to realise an opportunity,” Shukri said.

Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International (TI) had this year said Malaysia fell seven spots to No. 62, marking its lowest position since the index was started in 1995.

Source: MalayMail