The New Straits Times
By R.S. Kamini
The compliance unit plays a crucial role in meeting the Corruption NKRA objectives, says Superintendent of Police Chew Tham Soon, the head of Compliance Unit under the IGP Secretariat for Disciplinary Division (Bukit Aman).
"This is to enable us to quickly prevent any opportunities for misconduct and malpractice and maintain the discipline and image of a highly respected organisation."
Currently, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which oversees the delivery of the Corruption NKRA, is focusing efforts on working with four agencies, namely police, Customs Department, Road Transport Department (RTD) and the Immigration Department on their compliance units.
All four agencies, perceived to have the lowest integrity in the 2007 Malaysian Transparency Perception Survey, have established their own compliance unit to address any wrongdoing that could lead to corrupt practices.
"We have a three-pronged approach to combat corruption for enforcement agencies. We do it by strengthening the compliance unit in lead enforcement agencies, taking disciplinary action where appropriate and rewarding officers who refused bribes."
Chew said in the police force, the officers are bound by the IGSO (Inspector-General of Police Standing Order) in carrying out their duties as well as acting in accordance with the law.
"The compliance unit conducts scheduled inspections and spot checks to ensure that each officer complies with the requirements of Law and Regulations as well as procedures that govern the respective departments."
The IGSO serves as a refined set of procedures for every given task in the police force.
"Any violation of Law and Regulations or Standing Orders will lead to malpractice and it can be as mild as not maintaining a routine diary to any misconduct against the general orders, such as insubordination, dishonesty, lack of efficiency or industry and negligence in performing duties."
He says police's compliance unit has a duty to ensure that the Drug and Disciplinary Control System, introduced in 2006, is carried out efficiently and effectively and gives no room for malpractice within the department.
"One of our main aims is to reduce discretional power so officers cannot act on their own without referring to their supervisors. Any exercise of discretional power must be justified and needs to be recorded and reported for referrals."
The second approach of taking appropriate disciplinary action involves a quick check on any reports of misconduct.
He says investigations will be carried out accordingly based on the complaints received and that action will be taken against the officers involved within six months.
"We will not pick and choose. Every complaint will be dealt with accordingly."
As for rewarding honest officers, the force gives recognition to officers who refuse bribes and take action against the givers by referring them to the MACC. This is another initiative it executed under NKRA Corruption.
"To date, the inspector-general of police has given Letters of Commendation as well as cash rewards to 22 senior officers and 120 lower ranking officers for refusing to accept bribes."
"We have also been recognised by the MACC for displaying the highest level of integrity for refusing bribes and assisting the commission in exposing the offenders."
Chew says ultimately, each enforcement agency should move towards realising the goals stated in the National Integrity Plan, which aims to reduce corruption, malpractice and abuse of power, besides increasing efficiency of the public delivery system.
He adds that the duty of disciplinary control and supervision lies on every officer as enshrined under Section 3c of the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations (Amendment) 2002.
By R.S. Kamini
A THREE-PRONGED approach has been put in place to ensure that the National Key Results Area for Corruption (Corruption NKRA) is achieved in line with the government's effort against corrupt practices.
The NKRA for Corruption aims to reestablish the people's confidence in regulatory and enforcement agencies, reduce leakages in government procurement and tackle grand corruption.
Various plans were launched under the initiative to wipe clean the sticky fingers. This includes the introduction and strengthening of compliance units.
This is one of the 26 initiatives by the NKRA Corruption Laboratory to tackle malpractice in the regulatory and enforcement agencies, as well as government procurement.
The NKRA for Corruption aims to reestablish the people's confidence in regulatory and enforcement agencies, reduce leakages in government procurement and tackle grand corruption.
Various plans were launched under the initiative to wipe clean the sticky fingers. This includes the introduction and strengthening of compliance units.
This is one of the 26 initiatives by the NKRA Corruption Laboratory to tackle malpractice in the regulatory and enforcement agencies, as well as government procurement.
The compliance unit plays a crucial role in meeting the Corruption NKRA objectives, says Superintendent of Police Chew Tham Soon, the head of Compliance Unit under the IGP Secretariat for Disciplinary Division (Bukit Aman).
"This is to enable us to quickly prevent any opportunities for misconduct and malpractice and maintain the discipline and image of a highly respected organisation."
Currently, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), which oversees the delivery of the Corruption NKRA, is focusing efforts on working with four agencies, namely police, Customs Department, Road Transport Department (RTD) and the Immigration Department on their compliance units.
All four agencies, perceived to have the lowest integrity in the 2007 Malaysian Transparency Perception Survey, have established their own compliance unit to address any wrongdoing that could lead to corrupt practices.
"We have a three-pronged approach to combat corruption for enforcement agencies. We do it by strengthening the compliance unit in lead enforcement agencies, taking disciplinary action where appropriate and rewarding officers who refused bribes."
Chew said in the police force, the officers are bound by the IGSO (Inspector-General of Police Standing Order) in carrying out their duties as well as acting in accordance with the law.
"The compliance unit conducts scheduled inspections and spot checks to ensure that each officer complies with the requirements of Law and Regulations as well as procedures that govern the respective departments."
The IGSO serves as a refined set of procedures for every given task in the police force.
"Any violation of Law and Regulations or Standing Orders will lead to malpractice and it can be as mild as not maintaining a routine diary to any misconduct against the general orders, such as insubordination, dishonesty, lack of efficiency or industry and negligence in performing duties."
He says police's compliance unit has a duty to ensure that the Drug and Disciplinary Control System, introduced in 2006, is carried out efficiently and effectively and gives no room for malpractice within the department.
"One of our main aims is to reduce discretional power so officers cannot act on their own without referring to their supervisors. Any exercise of discretional power must be justified and needs to be recorded and reported for referrals."
The second approach of taking appropriate disciplinary action involves a quick check on any reports of misconduct.
He says investigations will be carried out accordingly based on the complaints received and that action will be taken against the officers involved within six months.
"We will not pick and choose. Every complaint will be dealt with accordingly."
As for rewarding honest officers, the force gives recognition to officers who refuse bribes and take action against the givers by referring them to the MACC. This is another initiative it executed under NKRA Corruption.
"To date, the inspector-general of police has given Letters of Commendation as well as cash rewards to 22 senior officers and 120 lower ranking officers for refusing to accept bribes."
"We have also been recognised by the MACC for displaying the highest level of integrity for refusing bribes and assisting the commission in exposing the offenders."
Chew says ultimately, each enforcement agency should move towards realising the goals stated in the National Integrity Plan, which aims to reduce corruption, malpractice and abuse of power, besides increasing efficiency of the public delivery system.
He adds that the duty of disciplinary control and supervision lies on every officer as enshrined under Section 3c of the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations (Amendment) 2002.
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