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April 28, 2008
ACA: Malaysia likely
to be seen as less corrupt
BY NG SU-ANN
PENANG: With the Government intensifying its fight
against graft, the country is confident of improving its
ranking in the Transparency International Corruption
Perception Index, said Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA)
director-general Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan.
Among the latest measures was the Government’s decision
to restructure the agency into a full-fledged
commission, he added.
Based on the index, the country was placed at 43rd out
of 190 countries worldwide last year, scoring 5.1 out of
10 points, he said.
A score of 10 points denotes a clean economy while one
point refers to a highly corrupt state.
“Last year, Malaysia was placed in the best position
among OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference)
countries,” Ahmad Said told newsmen after closing the
Integrity Management and Strengthening Seminar held at
Pulau Jerejak.
In 2006, Malaysia was ranked 44th with a score of five
points.
Transparency International is a Berlin-based group,
whose operation is funded mainly by Western companies
and government agencies, including the US Agency for
International Development.
On the match-fixing scourge, which had led to the
detention of seven Sarawak footballers by the ACA, he
said no one had been formally arrested yet.
Asked if a heavier penalty may deter match-fixing, he
said the focus here was more on the integrity of the
players.
He said so far, similar cases had not been found in
other states.
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