[:my]A Seminar on Anti-Corruption Champions: Sharing Session with Winners of the Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award 2018 was held in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, at The Malaysian Institute of Integrity (INTEGRITI) today.
Jointly organized by National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC), Rule of Law & Anti-Corruption Center (ROLACC), INTEGRITI and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the seminar gave an opportunity to the recipients of the award to discuss and share their knowledge of winning ideas in promoting integrity and combating corruption.
The Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Awards were established in 2016 by ROLACC in support of the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and its anti-corruption mandates. The four key categories are: Lifetime/Outstanding Achievement, Youth Creativity and Engagement, Academic Research and Education, and Innovation.
True to the name, the seminar highlights sharing sessions with all eight winners, according to categories as follows:
- Lifetime /Outstanding Achievement Category: Mr Nuhu Ribadu of Nigeria and Mr Leonard F. McCarthy of South Africa
- Youth Creativity and Engagement Category: Accountability lab (Global) and Ms Fernanda Angelica Flores Aguirre of Mexico
- Academic Research and Education Category: Prof. Jason Sharman of Australia and Dr. Robtel Neajai Pailey of Liberia.
- Innovation Category Phones Against Corruption of Papua New Guinea and Dr. Roger Oppong Koranteng of Ghana.
The seminar also serves as a platform to strengthen strategic networking and alliances among institutions and individuals that champion integrity and good governance.
By hosting the winners of the prestigious Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award, Malaysia shows its seriousness in fighting corruption and the indicates that the government’s efforts to eradicate corruption is well accepted by the public and received international recognition.
The seminar began with a speech by Mr Salem Al Harmi, official representative from ROLACC and followed by a welcoming address by Tan Sri Abu Kassim, Director General of GIACC praising the effort and contribution in combatting corruption by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
INTEGRITI is indeed honoured to be hosting this prestigious sharing seminar for the first time in collaboration with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre (ROLACC) which is based in Qatar.
Dr. Ahmad Fadzli, Acting CEO of INTEGRITI in his statement focused on the role and functions of INTEGRITI now to which have been shifted to emphasis on building government agencies’ and corporate organisations’ capacity and competency towards the strengthening of good governance practice through their service delivery and performance.
Furthermore, this seminar carries the objective in strengthening strategic networking and alliances among institutions and individuals that champion integrity and good governance.
The seminar which was held from 8am till 5pm also highlighted the Launching of the Guidelines of Adequate Procedures [Subsection [5] of Section 17A MACC Act 2009] by YAB Tun Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia whose arrival was accompanied by H.E Dr Ali bin Fetais Al Marri, Attorney General of the State of Qatar.
This Guidelines of Adequate Procedures entails corporate liability strategies that are pursuant to subsection (5) of the new section 17A of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009. These guidelines will serve commercial organisations in any industry to ensure that they have employed the fundamental measures in their respective companies to minimise the risk of corruption.
The Guidelines have been formed to assist commercial organisations in understanding what are the “adequate procedures” that should be implemented to prevent the occurrence of corrupt practices on the basis of five principles of T.R.U.S.T;
- Top level commitment
- Risk assessment
- Undertake control measures
- Systematic review, monitoring and enforcement
- Training and communication.
Tun Mahathir in his closing address states that “The enforcement of Section 17A will be effective on 1st June 2020 and hopefully that the commercial organisations will have ample time to prepare themselves with the new obligation, which without doubt will bring manifold benefits to the business’s bottom line.”
“Upholding integrity is the most important endeavour in fighting corruption. No government can prosper without integrity and good governance.”
Tun Mahathir also urge various agencies responsible to fight corruption with determination and “without fear or favour” because corruption is corruption, no matter who commits it.
The event saw 450 eager participants from the nation’s government agencies including ministers, anti-corruption agencies, local NGOs, private and public servants and representatives from embassies.
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