Corruption in sports under control - MACC

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said although the issue was not serious, corruption in sports was more prevalent among public agency officers who abused their power when managing sports organisations.

"There is corruption in sports but not at a serious level. Based on existing data and facts, I see the problem of corruption in sports is more on the abuse of power by public agency officers in procurement cases.

"In the past five years, most of the investigations carried out were on the purchase of equipment or supply of services," he said when speaking in a campaign to combat corruption in sports organised by the Sports Commissioner''s Office (PPS) at the National Sports Institute in Bukit Jalil here today.

He said sports body leaders should know their responsibility to ensure athletes gave excellent performance and not abuse power by taking advantage of weaknesses in their respective sports bodies.

At the ceremony, Azam represented MACC while the Olympic Council of Malaysia honorary secretary Datuk Low Beng Choo signed the Corruption Free Pledge (IBR) witnessed by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Khairy in his speech said PPS had taken early preventive measures to ensure misconduct or corruption issues did not occur in any sports association by monitoring the governance of the sports organisation.

"Nonetheless, all our best efforts will not become reality without strong governance among our sports bodies. For excellence in sports, it is important for sports organisation management to be on the right track," he said.