KUALA LUMPUR: The call for the government to impose heavier penalties, including mandatory whipping those convicted of corruption, demonstrates a decisive approach to addressing the issue seriously.
Malaysia Corruption Watch (MCW) president Jais Abdul Karim said that in most cases, corruption offenders do not appear to be deterred by prison sentences or fines imposed on them.
He believes that introducing whipping would create a profound fear in potential offenders due to the severe and lasting nature of the punishment.
"Heavy and effective punishment will definitely be a strong deterrent to those who may think of getting involved in corruption.
"It is also important to restore the integrity of enforcement agencies and ensure public confidence in justice being served against wrongdoers," he said when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV's Malaysia Hari ini programme today.
He said this when asked to comment on whether the mandatory whipping, previously proposed by Gerakan Revolusi Anak Malaysia (G3RAM) and supported by MCW, might be excessive for corruption offenders.
The proposal was prompted by multiple cases, with the latest involving the arrest of five immigration officers at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 2 yesterday for allegedly facilitating the unauthorised entry of foreigners by bypassing standard procedures through a tactic known as the 'counter setting' modus operandi.
Jais said the arrest demonstrated the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) strong commitment to tackling corruption and abuse of power that have long plagued the Immigration Department.
"MCW strongly welcomes this effort, as it is a crucial step in safeguarding the country's safety and sovereignty.
"This effort addresses significant weaknesses in inspection procedures at the country's entry points that have contributed to corruption cases," he said.
– Bernama