BANGI: The government should consider making corruption perception index (CPI) achievements a key performance indicator for all relevant government agencies.
This is one of the seven resolutions of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) National Governance, Integrity, and Anti-Corruption Research Conference.
MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the resolutions would be presented to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Special Cabinet Committee on National Governance's meeting.
The seven resolutions were reached following seven presentations from researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia since yesterday.
Azam said research studies involving empirical data would help countries identify sectors that need improvement in terms of policies, legislation, guidelines, and standard operating procedures.
"Data-driven policies not only help government agencies save costs and time by focusing on sectors and target groups at risk of corruption, but the positive impact from the implementation of such policies also contributes to the country's socio-economic development and well-being, which can ultimately be felt by the general public.
"Corruption risk assessments across various sectors, along with the implementation of recommended solutions to address existing and future issues and challenges, as highlighted in this conference, are crucial for the development of a corruption-free national ecosystem.
"This research conference does not end here. The resolutions from this conference will be brought to the meeting of the Special Cabinet Committee on National Governance, chaired by the Prime Minister," he said in his closing speech at the conference here today.
The other six resolutions include; driving the use of information and communication technology (ICT) and artificial intelligence (AI) to develop a more precise integrated monitoring system aimed at combating cartels in the Malaysian agricultural sector.
Secondly, to ensure leading agencies implement all strategies outlined in the National Anti-Corruption Strategy in line with the goal of a corruption-free nation in achieving sustainable national development.
Thirdly, to empower the application of information technology infrastructure to enhance transparency and oversight in the retail and wholesale sectors and to propose a module on human governance, integrity, and anti-corruption for the banking and finance sector in the context of career advancement.
Other resolutions reached during the conference included mandating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) software to improve efficiency and governance in the construction sector and to propose comprehensive governance in terms of efficiency to ensure a reliable supply of clean water resources to domestic users.
The resolutions were presented by Professor Dr Siti Aisyah Panatik from the Faculty of Social Sciences, UTM.
Azam said the conference had highlighted some key points including the importance of periodic corruption risk assessments as one of the key risk management strategies in addressing issues of corruption and leakage.
This includes the importance of sharing information and data integration through strategic cooperation networks between related agencies and stakeholders as a means to strengthen strategies to prevent and combat corruption.
"Continuous monitoring of policies and legislation that have been developed and enforced would help improve the effectiveness of service delivery systems," he said.
The role of the media must also be strengthened, Azam said, to ensure that all stakeholders in their respective agencies have a consistent understanding of governance, integrity, and anti-corruption policies and initiatives, which in turn fosters a positive perception among stakeholders, including domestic and international business entities, investors, and the general public.