Need for dialogue and awareness to eradicate corruption - MCPF

Efforts to eradicate corruption should include dialogues on issues related to integrity and abuse of power, and public awareness programmes, Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) vice-chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said Sunday.

The government should "raise civic awareness to instill the culture of transparency, accountability and integrity among the people" apart from gathering information on corruption and understanding the issue, especially in rural areas, he said in a statement here.

Lee said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission could also play an important role in instilling positive values in trainee teachers so that it was passed on to their students.

"It's important to introduce moral values, ethics and integrity at a young age in order to effectively battle corruption," he said.

Another approach was to ensure the effectiveness of integrity committees which had been formed in all ministries, departments and agencies, he stressed.