Simple.
Not by changing or replacing the Chief Commissioner of MACC.
Society knew there is no inherent magic for MACC to be successful.
As a public institution paid for using tax payers monies to fight corruption, Society expects MACC to be transparent, accessible and accountable to the 36 million ordinary Malaysians.
As set out in the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2024-2028, MACC needs to build trust through proactive measures and ensuring that enforcement is not hindered by political interference, particularly with the rise of corporate liability cases under Section 17A of the MACC Act.
Have real credibility.
In order for MACC to have any real credibility, it first had to investigate its former Chief Commissioner on the allegations of his share dealings and the corporate mafia allegations.
If MACC wish to be effective, it needs the acceptance and active support from all and every society in Malaysia.
Low tolerance for corruption by itself does not necessarily translate into the willingness of every ordinary Malaysian to participate in corruption control.
Trust in the anti-corruption authorities, both in respect of how they will treat participation from ordinary Malaysians and of how effective MACC actually is, is equally important.
Create and undertake active solicitation of citizen reports of corrupt treatment and events, accompanied by credible guarantees of safety for those filing reports.
Have constant and persistent campaign and publicity highlighting to every Malaysian that `duit kopi’ is a bribe, and likely to lead to the sorts of gratifications that can become ingrained in compromising relationships between the ordinary rakyat and officials.
Make it as simple as possible where any ordinary Malaysian Citizens can go to any MACC office or reporting location, file reports by telephone, or submit them by mail.
Support this process with extensive publicity, often emphasizing that people of humble status such as fishermen and street hawkers can and should report corruption.
Those guarantees are backed up by action – even when reports do not justify a full investigative response they are acknowledged and taken seriously.
Over time those principles became credible.
MACC cannot succeed by itself without involving the whole society in reform via its strategy of socially-embedded anti-corruption governance.
It must revise its approach of building resistance to corruption within society through continuing educational efforts, swift and credible responses to corruption as ordinary Malaysians experience it and building social participation and trust.
MACC must show that if “zero tolerance” is to be more than an empty slogan and not just a face-saving exercise for elites or a pretext for repression, it is must mobilise the whole society – and from the bottom upwards.
Reform must be pursued not for people but with them, for citizens possess knowledge, social ties, and self-interested energy essential to anti-corruption work.
Some of the most important guidance may come from within society as we engage with social networks and community leaders and with the challenges they continually face.
Ultimately, it requires the recognition that serious corruption is not something that “happens to” a society, to be “fixed” by laws and institutional strengthening alone.
Critical as those are, they must be part of a larger response drawing upon citizens’ lasting interests in justice and a better quality of life.
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