MACC to focus on logging and bauxite mining in Pahang

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will continue to focus on curbing corruption related to critical sectors such as logging and and bauxite mining in Pahang.

Pahang MACC director Datuk Alias Salim said the fight against corruption should be intensified to raise public confidence in the agency and to plug the leakages in the government's procurement sector.

"We are serious because leakages involving the government's procurement, development and construction sectors and logging resulted in financial burden and have a major impact on national revenue.

"Focus is on the role of the middlemen who often take advantage and make profit for themselves or interested parties who are the source of corruption and abuse of power," he told reporters after the hand over of duty by former Pahang MACC director Datuk Tan Kang Sai today.

It was witnessed by MACC Investigation Department director Datuk Simi Abdul Ghani.

Alias, who was former director of Integrity Division at the Immigration Department began his duty on July 3 to replace Tan who was appointed as Head of Integrity at the Ministry of Health.

Alias said 16 government agencies, the private sector and NGOs in Pahang had signed and made the Corruption Free Pledge, including the state government and the Pahang Football Association (PBNP).

He hopes that MACC's efforts to curb corruption and educate the public on corruption receive the support of all parties including the media, which he described as the most effective medium to reach out to the public.

"Media reports can help to realise the MACC's aim to eradicate corruption right down to the grassroots."

--BERNAMA