Malaysia’s improved corruption score to 52 points reflects strong political will and governance reforms, says MACC chief Azam Baki.
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s climb in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 reflects positive progress driven by strong political commitment and continuous governance reforms.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the focus should remain on steadily improving the country’s overall score, not just its ranking.
“Last year, we scored 50 out of 100. This year we achieved 52. That’s a two-point improvement based on nine surveys,” he said during a special media interview.
“It is a good achievement, but we still have a long way to go.”
According to the CPI 2025 released by Transparency International, Malaysia’s score rose by two points to 52, moving its global ranking from 57th to 54th.
The country ranked third among ASEAN nations, behind Singapore and Brunei.
Azam said reforms implemented by the government, particularly in strengthening good governance and attracting foreign investment, have contributed to the improved performance.
“Our Prime Minister been running here and there, meeting all the heads of state and promoting our country,” he said.
“He has convinced investors to come here. As a result, our ringgit has strengthened and investment approvals have increased. So this is a good sign.”
Azam highlighted the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028 as a living document guiding ongoing reforms and governance improvements.
A special focus group and task force, chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Government with Azam as co-chair, is formulating strategies to further enhance Malaysia’s CPI performance.
MACC will also intensify engagement sessions with organisations involved in conducting CPI-related surveys to better communicate enforcement actions.
Azam emphasised that sustained political will from the nation’s top leadership is crucial for future improvements.
“If the leader is not good, does not have a clear agenda, especially in fighting corruption, and does not want to carry out reforms, the index will remain there or will drop,” he said.
“So, for the CPI to improve in the future, there must be political will. There must be important and critical reforms for the good of the country, especially those involving integrity and good governance.”
