PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is asking the government to consider its proposal for the implementation of caning on offenders found guilty of corruption.

MACC Chief Commissioner Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull (pic) said the proposed punishment on caning directly reflected the serious efforts of the agency in wanting to eradicate corruption in an all-out manner.

“If a cheating offender can be sentenced to caning, what more corruption... it will be a bigger deterrent,” he told the media after attending a Yasin and Tahlil recital programme in conjunction with the 51st-anniversary celebration of the formation of MACC at the Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, here Sunday (Sept 30) night.

He explained that under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, the punishment for bribery offenders was merely a maximum jail sentence of 20 years (besides the fine).

“The 20 years imprisonment is the maximum sentence, but most of them will appeal in court to the extent that some are jailed for only one day,” he said.

He pointed out that bribery was among the causes of the spread of other crimes and the caning punishment should be studied in detail.

"I am serious about the proposal,” he said.

Two days ago, Mohd Shukri had proposed that the government amended the act so that offenders were meted with heavier punishment such as caning in an all-out war against corruption. - Bernama