KUALA LUMPUR: THE Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry has made it compulsory for licensees of the Petroleum Development Act (PDA) to sign a Corporate Integrity Pledge (CIP). This is geared towards freeing the petroleum industry from unhealthy elements, such as bribery and corruption, in matters pertaining to the sale of subsidised fuel. In welcoming the move, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Commissioner (Prevention) Datuk Mustafar Ali said the pledge could keep the sector free of exploitation. He said MACC was ready to offer its services to ensure the pledge was a necessity for every PDA licensee. “MACC has already held discussions with ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad. We have expressed our readiness to work with the ministry to make corporate integrity a fundamental policy in curbing corruption and subsidised fuel abuse.” He said MACC would discuss the need for the CIP with oil companies. “To date, a number of oil companies have signed the CIP. “MACC will conduct regular monitoring on the implementation of the pledge.” A CIP is a commitment by corporate bodies to combat corruption. Entities which sign the pledge vow not to be involved in corruption. The pledge will be implemented on about 2,300 PDA licensees, comprising 900 in transportation, 920 in bunkering and 550 in wholesaling. So far, 441 companies, agencies and associations had signed CIPs with the MACC. Previously, Minister Datuk Hasan Malek was quoted as saying that application requirements for PDA licences would be stricter via the introduction of measures to counter the abuse of subsidised fuel. The move, he had said, was to shorten the validity period for all categories of PDA licensing to one to two years, compared with the current practice of one to five years. Hasan also urged PDA licence holders to adopt the integrity pledge to show their resolve against corruption. Resource : NST