KOTA KINABALU – Statutory bodies and government interest firms (GICs) in Sabah have three months to establish their own integrity and governance units, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Mohd Noor said.
He said to date, 76 out of 85 statutory bodies and GICs have yet to form such units, despite a directive issued on November 12, 2019.
“I am ordering the 76 bodies to form their own integrity and governance units and they have until December this year to form them,” he said during the Sabah Integrity Day event held at the state administrative complex, Menara Kinabalu, today.
The formation of the units aims to inculcate a culture of transparency, eliminate abuse of power, and promote adherence to the law, said Hajiji.
“The 3.4 million people in Sabah are demanding integrity,” Hajiji said.
The nine bodies that have formed integrity units are Sabah Rubber Industries Board, State Forestry Development Board, Sabah Housing and Urban Development Board, Sabah Credit Corporation, Sabah Economic Development Corporation, Yayasan Sabah Group, Sabah Urban Development Corporation Sdn Bhd, Sabah Parks, and Sabah Tourism Board.
On the same note, Hajiji ordered all departments under the Chief Minister’s Department to develop their own organisational anti-corruption plan by December.
He said only 11 out of 17 have done so.
“GICs are encouraged to develop their own anti-corruption plan and obtain Anti-Bribery Management System certification,” he added.
Implementation plans for the Anti-Bribery Management System will also be tabled to the state cabinet.
On another note, Hajiji said a task force has been established comprising the state finance ministry, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), and the Malaysian Palm Oil Board to recoup all sales tax lost due to corruption.
Hajiji was referring to the falsification of crude palm oil sales tax declarations.
The Sabah government has also resolved 63 out of 116 issues red-flagged by the auditor-general in the Auditor-General’s Report for January 2021 until August 25, 2022. - The Vibes, September 1, 2022
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