KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Dr Maimunah Mohd Sharif has warned City Hall officers and enforcement personnel that there will be zero tolerance for corruption.
Maimunah, who began her duties today, said her administration would not compromise on corruption and abuse of power as she wanted City Hall to be seen as a local authority with integrity, accountability and transparency.
She said her administration would not hesitate to take action, including collaborating with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), if investigations revealed that City Hall officers or enforcement personnel accepted bribes.
"I have instructed department heads and the executive management to monitor and educate enforcement officers and personnel as a first step.
"Never take bribes because there will be a second time. If offered a bribe, don't accept it. Once you start taking it, it will continue," she said at a press conference on her first day in office today.
Maimunah, who is Kuala Lumpur's first female mayor, said her administration was aware of the charges against City Hall officers in court today.
Today, a City Hall deputy director and an enforcement officer were charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court with two counts of soliciting and accepting bribes from the operator of an unlicensed entertainment centre.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim handed over the appointment letter to Maimunah. She replaces Datuk Seri Kamarulzaman Mat Salleh.
The appointment was approved by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia in accordance with Subsection 4(2) of the Federal Capital Act 1960.
Maimunah said education would be emphasised to combat corruption, and if this approach failed, there would be enforcement.
"I alone cannot do it because we have 9,000 City Hall officers. So I am asking department heads and the executive management to monitor. We also have partners from MACC.
"We educate and provide knowledge, but if civil servants are determined to be corrupt, I will not hesitate to take action."
She said it was vital for City Hall staff to have strong integrity and a firm awareness of rejecting corruption.
She said the spirit of integrity she wished to instill aligned with the prime minister's vision.
On another matter, Maimunah said her administration had proposed the formation of a task force involving the police, Immigration Department and other agencies to combat prostitution and gambling.
She said she wanted Kuala Lumpur to be a vibrant, creative and clean city, adding that cleanliness also meant being free from negative activities.
To achieve this goal, she said, agencies must come devise an action plan to clean Kuala Lumpur of prostitution and gambling.
"I believe strict action must be taken against illegal activities. City Hall has 25 departments. I have been told that some action has been taken.
"Some issues are under other agencies. For example, gambling falls under the police. City Hall can only deal with the premises.
"If it involves foreigners, it falls under Immigration.
"For this reason, perhaps a task force involving multiple agencies needs to be established."