Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed speaks during a press conference at the Perdana Putra Complex in Putrajaya June 8, 2018. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

PUTRAJAYA, June 8 — The government will be coming up with a new law allowing them to take punitive actions against public officers who blatantly cause financial leakages and waste government money.

Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) director general Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed told a press conference that this was one of the agendas discussed at the first Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption (JKKMAR) meeting.

“The government will draft a new law to take punitive measures against civil servants who deliberately cause financial leakage, mismanagement and financial wastage on government funds,” said Abu Kassim.

The former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief was accompanied by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Ser Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

On another note, he also said that all Ministries must identify at least three issues or weaknesses involving the law, policies or regulations which leaves them and their respective agencies vulnerable to corruption.

Once identified, the ministries must submit it to GIACC one month from today.

Abu Kassim then announced that multiple agencies will now be parked and report under GIACC.

He added GIACC will be submitting a proposal to the government to restructure these agencies to ensure non-redundancy and enhance its efficiency.

“We have decided that the Malaysian Integrity Insitute, Public Complaints Bureau, Jabatan Integriti dan Tadbir Urus Negara (JITN) and the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) will be placed under GIACC.

“GIACC has also been tasked to ensure the functions and structure of this new arrangement will not overlap while saving government costs expenditures. GIACC will be study and review the issue before they submit their proposal on these measures to the Public Service Department,” said Abu Kassim.