December 09, 2010
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak declared today that he had never before interfered in any graft investigation undertaken by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“I would like to stress here that I have never interfered in MACC’s operations. They are independent and free to carry out their investigations on anyone.
“They are a professional body that is also subjected to checks should they fail to carry out their duties,” he said when opening the signing ceremony of a anti-corruption loyalty pledge by the business community at the Putrajaya International Convention Center here this afternoon.
As such, Najib (picture) warned the community that the high position of any businessman was no guarantee that he was immune to any graft investigation.
“On the aspect of a person’s status in the community in terms of his designation or his worth, it will not be a guarantee that no action will be taken against him.
“This is the kind of awareness that we must all accept — that we are all regular citizens, [regardless] of our posts, and we are all bound by the country’s laws,” he said.
Najib also urged the business community not to perceive that the best way to grow their business or to obtain a contract or a concession from the government was through corrupt means.
“I do not want to see this happening, I hope that there will not be this belief because if there is, then it makes our struggle to combat corruption even harder, especially when it comes to doing business,” he said.
He said that it was important for all government procurement to be transparent and any contract or tender awarded to any party should be done based on merits.
“In the process of offering tender, we must not allow there to be any specific preference to particular bidders. The decision to award the tender must be based on the best offer, one that fulfils the technical needs of a certain project.
“We must release the advertisement for tender in an open way, list down the specification and allow it to be a fair and open process for all,” he said.
Najib also called on the private sector to work closely with the government in its fight against corruption, adding that all organisations should work in synchrony with one another.
“Both parties must stand together. It is important also that the government system as well as business practices and organisational cultures do not succumb to the culture of corruption,” he said.
Later, Najib witnessed a signing ceremony of a pledge to fight corruption between the business community, represented by the umbrella body of the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (NCCIM) and the MACC.
The signatories under the NCCIM comprised the Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, the Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers and the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The bodies committed themselves in a five-point pledge to help the government in its anti-corruption initiatives, which is one of the six thrusts under Najib’s National Key Results Areas.
The pledges are – to be committed to promote values of integrity, transparency and good governance; strengthen internal systems that support good governance practices; comply with rules and regulations relating to fighting corruption; fight any form of corrupt practice; and support corruption prevention initiatives by the Malaysian government and the MACC.
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