KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim praised Malaysia's progress in its anti-corruption efforts, pointing to the country's improved ranking on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI).
He said this in reply to a question from Datuk Awang Hashim (PN-Pendang) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
In January, the CPI 2023, announced by Transparency International Malaysia (TI - M), stated that Malaysia had climbed to 57th position in the CPI for 2023 compared to 61st in 2022.
Anwar said that the government's initiatives had also gained international recognition, citing a forthcoming collaboration with Qatar on anti-corruption efforts.
"Next week, Qatar has invited a delegation of ministers and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to collaborate on drafting an anti-corruption programme for Islamic nations," he said.
Anwar also addressed concerns about media freedom, acknowledging that while Malaysia upheld freedom of speech, media freedom was limited by the 3R (race, religion, and royalty) issues.
"Regarding the media freedom index, I accept our position, as we are bound by the 3R concerns.
"(And) while we allow people to speak freely, the Malay Rulers Council is very strict, we are bound by the views of the Malay rulers, who do not permit any public criticism without action being taken," he said.
Anwar said that although he received considerable criticism, he did not focus on it.
"I let the police handle it. However, I acknowledge that we must improve perceptions of media freedom, though we are limited in this regard."