Transparency International (TI) invites Adenan to be a master plenary speaker at IACC |
| Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan (centre) and Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Madius Tangau with the ‘National Integrity System’ books they received from Low (left) after the briefing on ‘The Fix Rate – A Key Metric for Transparency and Accountability’. The event was held in conjunction with the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC). — Bernama photo |
PUTRAJAYA: Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem’s commitment in fighting corruption and illegal logging has prompted Transparency International (TI) to invite him as one of the master plenary speakers at the 16th International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC).
IACC is currently being held at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).
It was declared opened yesterday by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Paul Low on behalf of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Adenan will be speaking at the master plenary II on Peace, Equality and Social Justice: Fighting corruption in development and investment beyond 2015.
The session will be held at 2pm today. It will be moderated by the Washington correspondent for the New York Times and chairman of the Board of Cooperation USA, Ron Dixon.
Co-founder and director of Global Witness, United Kingdom, Patrick Alley is expected to be one of the panel speakers at the same plenary. In March 2013, Global Witness produced a video entitled `Inside Malaysia’s shadow state’ – an undercover investigative piece on Sarawak timber logging and wealth.
Other speakers include Natural Resources Governance Institute president Daniel Kaufmann, World Vision International Canada president and CEO Kevin J. Jenkins, TI founder and Chair Advisory Council Dr Peter Eigan and Thomson Reuters Foundation of United Kingdom CEO Monique Villa.
Talking to The Borneo Post, Deputy Chief Commissioner (Prevention) of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Datuk Mustafar Ali said Adenan was invited “because he has been known to have tackled environment issues in Sarawak, including the prevention of illegal logging and creating awareness.
“We have prepared this session since our meeting with TI in Berlin early this year. On knowing that we shall be having this session, TI in Berlin immediately asked whether we can invite him (Adenan).
“I went to Sarawak to invite him, and he said OK,” said Mustafar, adding that Adenan would have a side dialogue with Global Witness.
Adenan, he said, was the only chief minister to deliver a paper.
“We have Datuk Paul Low delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Seri Wahid Omar, who will be closing the seminar.”
The three-day biennial conference is organised by Institute of Transparency International Berlin in collaboration with the Malaysian government and TI Malaysian Chapter. Some 1,000 people from more than 100 countries are taking part.
Meanwhile, in his keynote address, Low said Malaysia was not a failed state as painted by certain quarters.
He said at least five key economic indicators showed the reality of the country’s economic health.
Among the five indicators are: (1) the country achieved an average of Real GDP of 5.3 per cent per annum during the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-2015), where global average growth was 3.6 per cent and emerging markets and developing economies were averaging 5 per cent; (2) low unemployment rate of only 2.9 per cent; and (3) fiscal deficit reduced from -6.4 per cent in 2009 to -3.4 per cent in 2014, and expected to be -3.2 per cent in 2015 in spite of the current unfavourable economic conditions.
Fourthly, incidence of poverty reduced from 49.3 per cent in 1970 to 3.8 per cent in 2009 and to 0.6 per cent in 2014. The existence of corruption usually affect the poor in many countries, but Malaysia has been able to mitigate and reduce the level of poverty to an enviable low level and achieve an equitable income distribution among its population so much so that the country was now having a vibrant middle-class society; and lastly, the country’s notable achievements: 20th most competitive nation out of 144 countries (World Economic Forum) and 6th place out of 189 countries for ease-of-doing-business (World Bank).
“Malaysia would not have achieved these results if its corruption were so bad as to be really damaging to its economic progress.
“Nonetheless, we do recognise that there is more to be done if we wish to move further ahead to attain a high-income economy that is competitive in the world markets,” said Low.
Under the National Key Results Area (NKRA) for corruption, the government had set its target of achieving a Transparency International CPI (Corruption Perception Index) score of 70 from the current 52 today in order to move up in rank among countries surveyed from the current placing of 50 to be at the top 30 by 2020.
“At this juncture, it is appropriate to recognize that today, in spite of the distressing picture that has been painted by certain quarters of a Malaysia doomed to be a failed state, things are certainly not as gloomy as they have been made out to be,” Low reiterated.
Low emphasised that any meaningful success in implementing the national integrity system (NIS) required the existence of strong institutions that were independent from the executive branch of the government, given adequate protection by the legislation, and having adequate resources to employ high caliber professional staff.
He said the country was committed to protect the sanctity and independence of its public institutions, and it was in the process of strengthening two entities: Malaysia Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) and the office of the Auditor General.
As such, he promised to protect the MACC, which he likened as “the apple of my eye”.
“The apex of a high integrity society is the integrity of the political institution because this institution is represented by elected representatives and lawmakers in the country. It determined the executive of the government.
“Therefore, if the political institution lacks integrity, it loses its legitimacy among the people, and the quest to consolidate more power may lead to an extractive political institution that is only governed by those with narrow interest, with only a restricted space for others in the society to engage in national affairs.
“This is usually seen in an authoritarian regime.”
Low also asserted that the evil of money politics must be eradicated, be it at party elections or during general elections.
“There must be a more regulated framework for political financing and expenditure. This is an area that the nation must deal with as an unhealthy relationship between politics and business will continue to form strong obstruction for reform towards a government that is more transparent and accountable.”
Meanwhile, Mustapha, who was representing MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, said the 16th IACC was set on the backdrop of its theme `Ending Impunity-People, Integrity and Action’ – a journey that aspired to establish, restore, plant, exercise, implement and execute the principles of integrity and governance.
“At the end of this journey, whilst it demands assertive enforcement and punitive actions against the perpetrators, we must aim to envision in cementing systems and procedures, creating and promoting cultures that prevent and detest all forms of corruption, abuse of power and malpractice through leadership by integrity, responsibility, accountability and transparency.”
Mustapha said MACC would not practise impunity in its investigation, and would act without fear or favour. For that, MACC officers were ready to sacrifice in upholding public interest.
More than 1000 participants from more than 100 countries tool part in the three-day seminar. -BorneoPost.
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