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THE government has underscored its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and abuse of power within the civil service, following recent high-profile arrests linked to illegal electronic waste operations.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar stressed that the civil service would continue working closely with enforcement agencies to ensure that all investigations are conducted thoroughly and transparently.
"The principles of rejecting abuse of power, corruption, and governance failures must be upheld at all times in line with the Rukun Negara and the civil service pledge.
“This is to ensure the image and credibility of the civil service are not tarnished by behaviour that could erode public trust in core national institutions, as often emphasised by the prime minister," Shamsul said in a statement.
He added that integrity would remain central to service delivery, helping to reduce leakages and safeguard national security and sovereignty.
The remarks come in the wake of the arrest of the Department of Environment’s director-general and deputy director-general by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday, marking a significant escalation in the probe into alleged corruption within the agency.
The detentions relate to illegal e-waste processing and disposal activities.
These arrests follow the remand of several other individuals earlier this month, including four by the Negri Sembilan MACC on January 20.
The suspects, comprising company directors and DoE officers, are accused of shielding factories involved in unauthorised handling of scheduled waste.
As part of the investigation into corruption linked to e-waste management and effluent discharge in Selangor and Negri Sembilan, the MACC has frozen 16 bank accounts holding a total of RM10.2 million.
The government emphasised that such decisive action reflects its commitment to maintaining accountability and public trust in Malaysia’s core institutions while sending a clear message that no official is above the law. - January 30, 2026