AMID the publicity surrounding headline-grabbing operations and major arrests, a lesser-known arm of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is quietly anchoring the nation’s integrity architecture.
The Governance Investigation Division of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) known locally as (Bahagian Penyiasatan Tatakelola or BPT), functions as the commission’s internal watchdog, scrutinising structural weaknesses within government systems, policies and processes that may open the door to corruption.
Its director, Datuk Mohd Zaki Hassan, said BPT’s mandate is rooted in Sections 7(c), 7(d) and 7(e) of the MACC Act 2009, which collectively empower the unit to identify vulnerabilities, advise public bodies and recommend corrective measures to curb wrongdoing.
“According to Section 7(c), BPT will study the practices, systems and procedures of public bodies to facilitate the discovery of offences under this Act,” Harian Metro cited him saying. “It aims to produce reviews of practices, systems and procedures which, in the opinion of the Chief Commissioner, may lead to corruption.”
Section 7(d), he added, tasks the division with directing, advising and assisting individuals on ways corruption may be eliminated.
“Under Section 7(e), BPT advises the heads of public bodies on any changes to practices, systems or procedures that are appropriate to reduce the likelihood of corruption,” he said.
Mohd Zaki emphasised that the unit’s preventive work remains largely unrecognised by the public despite its centrality to Malaysia’s anti-corruption strategy.
“BPT will assess an organisation’s systems, procedures and work practices and identify weaknesses that can be manipulated for corrupt purposes,” he explained.
Areas commonly examined include procurement, asset management and licensing processes. MACC then provides recommendations for improvements to both public and private sector organisations.
He said BPT also supports the development of anti-corruption policies and guidelines. This encompasses input into internal policies, work manuals, standard operating procedures and organisational directives, including the preparation of Organisation Anti-Corruption Plans (OACP).
The division further conducts Corruption Risk Management (CRM) assessments, identifying high-risk areas in ministries and agencies to serve as the basis for preventive action.
A key element of BPT’s work is governance reviews, during which officers examine governance structures and adherence to existing rules to ensure practices reflect transparency, accountability and integrity.
The division also provides governance advisory services to help organisations strengthen internal prevention mechanisms.
“This is followed by monitoring and follow-up. BPT will monitor the implementation of recommended improvements to ensure corrective actions are taken by the organisation concerned,” he said.
To reinforce preventive controls, BPT undertakes system studies — or governance reviews — to expose weaknesses and inefficiencies that create opportunities for abuse of power, misappropriation and corruption.
Such reviews may be initiated internally by MACC or requested by department heads, ministries, the National Audit Department or prompted by public complaints.
“BPT is staffed by system study teams comprising MACC officers from various specialisations,” he said.
Their work involves interviews with relevant officers, observation of actual work processes and examination of documents including SOPs, work manuals, process flow charts, financial or management reports, benchmarking studies and analyses of systems and procedures.
“This step is intended to identify weaknesses, non-compliance or inefficient processes that create corruption risks at each stage of the workflow,” he said.
Once a review is completed, BPT produces a report outlining findings, risk analysis, recommendations and mitigation measures.
“The report will be submitted to the relevant agency for follow-up action. It does not end there; BPT will then conduct periodic monitoring of the implementation of the recommendations and the effectiveness of corrective measures,” he said.
Asked about common weaknesses uncovered within government administrative procedures, he said BPT frequently detects gaps in governance, internal control, enforcement mechanisms and organisational structure.
“The types of weaknesses often detected in public-sector administrative procedures are related to control elements over terms of reference and compliance with preventive controls. For example, policies that are vague and not clarified or communicated,” he said.
He noted that outdated laws, including acts, enactments and ordinances, also contribute to vulnerabilities. Many organisations, he added, operate with procedures, SOPs, guidelines and circulars that are not properly documented or maintained.
Structural weaknesses are another source of concern. These include undefined division of duties, inadequate manpower relative to workload complexity, situations where the same officer both executes and decides on matters, and a lack of rotation — all of which can create opportunities for corruption and abuse of power. - December 1, 2025
