governance

PMO: Special body to focus on integrity in governance

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Source: The Malay Mail

Former MACC chief Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed has been elected to head GIACC. the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption — Picture by Azneal Ishak

KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — The government said today it will establish a new body dedicated to formulating policies to ensure all official dealings are corruption-free and carried out with integrity.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has agreed to the National Centre for Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption (GIACC), which will also plan, draft strategies, and evaluate policies to ensure all government affairs are conducted properly with integrity and zero-tolerance towards corruption.

In a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, it is also announced that former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed has been elected to head GIACC, given his extensive experience both within and without the country. Read more →

Vote against bribery and corruption — KJ John

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BY KJ JOHN

Source: The Malaysian Insight

ONE clear but obvious concern for most Malaysian Christians is the “agenda of backdoor Islamisation by PAS”.

Malaysia, from its inception, has been a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural society defined by a Federal Constitution which amplifies and clarifies our rules of law and due processes.

Therefore, and thereby, we were, and must only always be understood as a secular country. No particular or specific religious values can consequently be used to define public space morality.

Premised upon the secular interpretation of our foundation points within the Constitution, it is untenable that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang’s RUU34 can even be tabled in Parliament. Therefore, a good friend of mine and son of a former Deputy Prime Minister, Tawfik Ismail, has gone to Court over this wrong-doing.

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MACC sets up units to watch for corruption, power abuse in govt agencies

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Source: The Malaysian Insight

THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has set up special monitoring units to watch for misappropriation, corruption and abuse of power at high, medium and low-risk government agencies.

In a statement today, the MACC said its certified integrity officers would be replaced by administrative and diplomatic officers in integrity units of government agencies in line with the government’s decision to set up a Department of National Integrity and Good Governance.

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MACC: Removing our officers from government agencies won’t affect anti-corruption drive

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Source: Malay Mail Online

Datuk Paul Low had said the National Integrity and Good Governance Department (JITN) would not overlap with MACC’s functions. ― File picture by Choo Choy May via Malay Mail Online

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 – The government’s withdrawal of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) integrity officers at government agencies will not affect graft prevention efforts, MACC said today.

The MACC clarified that the reported replacement of its Certified Integrity Officers (CeIOs) with Administration and Diplomatic Service (PTD) officers seconded at the integrity units of government agencies was a move “in line with the government’s decision to set up the National Integrity and Good Governance Department (JITN) recently”.

“The MACC wishes to stress that the formation of JITN will not affect at all the MACC’s function and responsibility in efforts to ensure government agencies are free from abuse, bribery and abuse of power,” it said in a statement today. Read more →

What system of governance: Theocracy, democracy or secular? — Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos

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Source: The Malay Mail Online

BY JAHABERDEEN MOHAMED YUNOOS

An opinion piece - file pic

An opinion piece – file pic

SEPT 19 — To me, and I repeat, to me, it is not about being obsessed with the label of “secular” or “Islamic” country though I do not have serious problems with people using the term. I try to understand what they are actually saying as the substance is more important than the label.

My position is clear: I do not support oppressive regimes or ideas whether they are labelled “secular” or “Islamic”. To be clear, I do not support a “secular system” that is anti religion as that is oppressive of a person’s faith. Likewise I do not support an “Islamic system” that takes away the professed Muslim’s inherent right to serve Allah as he understands it from the Quran as that is equally oppressive of faith.

In any case, I believe the practice of one’s faith or religion should not be allowed to affect national security, general public order, peace and harmony in the country or deny the basic fundamental rights and liberties of other citizens guaranteed under our Federal Constitution.

A theocratic state is often understood to be a political State which is founded on a particular religion. A theocracy may be defined as a form of government which defers not to civil development of law, but to an interpretation of the ‘will of a God’ as set out in religious scripture and authorities.  Read more →

Hypocrisy in international relations – Azmi Sharom

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Source: The Star Online

BY AZMI SHAROM

Issues of good governance, democracy and human rights will always be low on the agenda of any country when dealing in foreign affairs.

Azmi Sharom - file pic

Azmi Sharom – file pic

THE first American president to visit us was Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s. His reasons for visiting were probably the same as President Barack Obama’s: security (although in those days it was about the “threat” of Vietnam and the feared domino effect of nations falling under the thrall of Communism, whereas now it’s Islamic State) and economy (although then it was probably more about ensuring we keep on supplying tin and rubber whereas now it’s about keeping us from being too influenced by China).

Whenever the President of the United States visit another country, he is bound to make waves of some sort. According to oral history (i.e. my mum and dad), when LBJ came here all sorts of craziness ensued, like the inexplicable chopping-down of strategic trees; as though some renegade monkey was going to throw himself at the presidential convoy.

Our Prime Minister at the time, Tunku Abdul Rahman, wasn’t too fussed about the visit, saying that Johnson needn’t have come at all. Read more →

Nigeria: New Nigerian Law Outlaws Female Circumcision, Forceful Ejection of Widows

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Source: AllAfrica

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan signing into law, a bill which prohibits female circumcision.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan signing into law, a bill which prohibits female circumcision. – Nigeria Channels TV

President Goodluck Jonathan has signed two bills recently passed by the National Assembly into law, one of which prohibits female circumcision.

The new Acts are the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 and the Immigration Act, 2015.

Spokesman for the President, Reuben Abati, confirmed the development to reporters in Abuja on Monday. Read more →