There are higher-ups who collude in the misconduct of subordinates and become their “ringleaders”, thus tarnishing the image of the public service, said Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) chairperson Ismail Bakar.

He said said anyone within the public service who engages in misconduct and violates the principles of integrity should be removed from the system, including department heads if they protect such misconduct.

“This unpopular action must be courageously taken. Such brave actions can save the image of the public service,” he said in his speech at the EAIC Coordination Meeting 2024 with department heads of enforcement agencies under supervision today.

Ismail said while agencies are aware of the misconduct of enforcers and public servants, there is a tendency for agencies to “keep” problematic officers, a practice which must be stopped.

“Retaining problematic officers will not lead to improvements in efforts to strengthen integrity. The current practice is to transfer problematic officers to other places.

“But it is like a never-ending cycle. The transferred officers will repeat the same actions in the new place and, worse still, influence officers and staff at the new place to engage in misconduct and lack of integrity,” he said.

Attempts to protect wrongdoings

He said EAIC was concerned when enforcement agencies under supervision seemed to underestimate the punishment recommended by the commission based on its investigations of complaints received.

“In general, the punishment imposed by the disciplinary authority of the enforcement agencies under supervision should not be less severe than the recommendations of the EAIC since EAIC investigation officers have conducted thorough investigations and considered every aspect appropriately.

“When the disciplinary board of these enforcement agencies do not adopt EAIC’s recommendations, it indirectly signals that they are not serious in addressing and have openly accepted misconduct and lack of integrity,” he said.

Ismail said if department heads consider integrity violations a trivial matter, then misconduct among civil servants will continue to normalise.

He said this approach has led enforcement agencies under supervision to assume that EAIC was established to find faults.

Ismail said EAIC was established in line with the government’s desire to strengthen and empower integrity among enforcers and enforcement agencies, which is reflected in every recommendation given by EAIC.

The coordination meeting was first held on June 22, 2022, and was agreed upon by the members at that time to be held regularly twice a year.

Sumber : MalaysiaKini