PUTRAJAYA: Tan Sri Azam Baki reminded all department heads, supervisors and civil servants that they could lose their jobs if they fail to report gratifications that were offered to them.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner said under Section 25 of the MACC Act, they have a duty to report if they were offered bribes and it could be a criminal offence should they be found guilty.
However, Azam said MACC would have to first discuss with the Public Service Department and chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali on the reporting mechanism.
"As I mentioned recently, it is the responsibility of all department heads and superiors to report any corrupt practices of their subordinates. If this matter is not taken seriously, it will lead to a breakdown in the public service.
"Under Section 25 of the MACC Act, it is an offence not to report any gratification offered to you or to any public officer, for example, and it becomes a criminal offence if they are found guilty. It can also lead to dismissal if they are found guilty. That is the law.
"So, for now, we at the MACC welcome the recommendation (for superiors to report their subordinates who are involved in corruption), and we will first discuss with the PSD and the chief secretary to the government to look into the methods or mechanisms for reporting this," he said to reporters after 'The Sin of Corruption: A religious perspective' book launch here today.
This is in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement that government department or unit heads who fail to report cases of corruption in their departments will not be promoted.
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Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said how the measure would be implemented would be decided by Mohd Zuki and the Public Services Department (PSD) director-general.
He added that he wanted the decision to be made next week, with all department and unit heads reporting any wrongdoings happening in their system.
Azam added that the duty to report corruption activities not only falls on department heads but also supervisors from all layers in an organisation.
He said they would look at all angles in implementing the reporting mechanism as it is their duty to advise the government in any leakages, loopholes or procedural weaknesses.
ENDS