KUALA LUMPUR: UniversitI Kebangsaan Malaysia became the first public university in the country to launch its own integrity plan against corruption, misconduct and abuse of power.
The five-year UKM Integrity Action Plan 2021-2025 was drawn up by the university's Integrity and Ombudsman Unit and mirrors the National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP) officially launched in January 2019 to strengthen integrity, good practices and enhance public service delivery and efficiency.
Yesterday, UKM in a virtual launch invited Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki to officiate the plan via video conferencing.
Azam said higher learning institutions were not exempted from integrity weaknesses and abuse of power, thus it was a timely effort by the university to curb such problems.
He said in the last five years MACC had opened 97 investigation papers involving misconduct, governance and corrupt practices at higher learning institutions.
"MACC also received many reports on offences committed by officers in various positions and levels in public universities. From 2016 to 2021, we've been receiving complaints on lack of integrity related offences taking place at universities and so far, have charged 43 of them in court," he said and congrtulated UKM for its commitment and efforts.
Also present at the virtual launch were UKM board of directors chairman Tan Sri Abdul Wahid Omar and Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Ekhwan Toriman.
Azam said the four key focus areas in the action plan, namely Governance and Service Delivery, Financial Management, Academic Management and Student Affairs and Research, Innovation and Publication Management will certainly help enhance the value of integrity, effectiveness and efficiency in the university's operations.
"Every public university must identify the risks of corruption or misconduct in its administration to prevent other more severe crimes. At the moment, this problem may not have reached an alarming level, but it's good if we can prevent it before it happens," he said.
Azam said even though the campaign to adopt a good work culture and integrity is well on track, more effective and strategic actions are needed at all public universities, nationwide.
"Promoting good practices and work culture alone is not enough. We also need adequate law and governance," he said, adding that other universities should also follow UKM's footsteps to strengthen their existing policies and keep a clean image.