Higher pay for Anti Corruption officers

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers will be paid higher salaries as they go all out to weed out corruption.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz is heading a committee to look into a better remuneration package for the officers.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who disclosed this last night, said many MPs had also called for this when debating the MACC Act in Parliament.

“They called for adequate emolument to be provided so that the officers could conduct their duties without any hindrance,” he said in his speech at the Anti-Corruption Agency’s 41st anniversary dinner held here.

The ACA will be known as the MACC following the passing of the MACC Act in Parliament on Dec 16.

Abdullah said the Government had pledged to give its full support to the MACC to combat corruption, as otherwise the nation’s competitiveness and economy would be affected.

He said there was high expectations from everyone, including the general public, for the MACC to deliver results.

“The people had voiced their desire to see corruption eliminated, and it is hoped that the MACC can improve its work rate to achieve that ambition,” he stressed.

ACA director-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan had in his opening speech earlier appealed for the Public Service Department to review the MACC remuneration scheme to offer higher emoluments and incentives to the officers.

“This is to further motivate our officers as well as to attract more professionals to join the battle against corruption,” he added.

Ahmad said 585 people were arrested by the ACA this year, almost half of them being civil servants. “The total bribes from January to November was RM44mil, while the value of properties seized was RM9.5mil.

“Fines collected by the courts totalled RM1.5mil, and the percentage of those arrested found guilty remained at 76%,” he said.

- The Star