King sweetens anti-corruption efforts with honey gesture
PUTRAJAYA: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, demonstrated a strong commitment to eradicate corruption by presenting a bottle of honey to Tan Sri Azam Baki, the chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
On Facebook, Sultan Ibrahim emphasized that combating corruption, which he described as the country’s biggest enemy, will be a major priority during his reign.
He symbolically marked the end of the “honeymoon” period by handing over the honey to Azam, stating, “As I emphasised before, my honeymoon is over; now go catch the bees.”
The King granted Azam a 30-minute audience at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the latest developments at the enforcement agency.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed concern over the RM2 billion revenue leakage caused by corrupt practices of certain Customs Department officers at KLIA Cargo, emphasizing the gravity of corruption.
Anwar, disappointed by the case, highlighted that despite involving a small group within the Customs Department, the estimated financial losses were significant.
He stressed the importance of addressing corruption seriously and intensifying efforts to combat the issue.
According to Anwar, cracking down on leakages such as those resulting from diesel and cooking oil smuggling can save billions of ringgit for the country.
Over the past week, MACC arrested 34 Customs officers from KLIA Cargo in connection with smuggling activities that led to a revenue leakage of RM2 billion over two years.
The suspects were apprehended in a special operation called Ops Samba 2.0, conducted by MACC, the Inland Revenue Board, and Bank Negara Malaysia.
Investigators believe that the officers received RM4.7 million from a syndicate to aid in the smuggling of various items like tobacco, cigarettes, liquor, health products, and vehicle spare parts.
Anwar emphasized his government’s focus on governance issues since the start of his administration to ensure effective management of public funds and resources.
He underlined the necessity of firmness and discipline in upholding integrity, rejecting the idea of reducing controversies related to governance and corruption.
The Prime Minister also stressed the importance of fiscal responsibility and financial management among civil servants, especially department heads, to reduce the country’s deficit.
He mentioned the enactment of a dedicated law on fiscal responsibility to enhance transparency and accountability, aiming to boost investor confidence in the country.
The Public Finance and Fiscal Responsibility Act, passed in October last year, outlines the government’s responsibilities in governance, transparency in managing public finances, and fiscal risks concerning revenue, expenditure, loans, and debts.
One of the fiscal objectives specified in the Act includes maintaining annual development expenditure below 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and government debt below 60% of GDP.
Additionally, the Act requires a fiscal deficit of 3% or less and government guarantees not exceeding 25% of GDP.
