THE Penang government has welcomed the recent announcement by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Economy Ministry on the establishment of a special task force dedicated to monitoring ministry-approved projects at both the state and district levels.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow expressed the state government’s full support for the initiative, describing it as a critical step toward strengthening public sector governance and ensuring the effective use of public funds.
“We fully support this proactive move to combat corruption and enhance accountability in government project implementation.
“This initiative will ensure that public allocations are managed with the highest standards of transparency and integrity.
“With a more stringent oversight process in place, we can minimise the risks of misappropriation, abuse of power, and corruption,” Chow told a press conference when asked about the matter today.
Earlier, he was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 10th World Stomatological Institute (WSI) and International College of Dentists (ICD) Section XV International Conference and Induction ceremony at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre in Bayan Lepas.
MACC said in a statement yesterday (April 17), the terms of reference for the task force include several key measures aimed at improving governance and project management across the nation.
“Among the primary functions of the task force is the sharing of information between the Economy Ministry and MACC regarding the amount of funding allocated to each state and district.
“The task force will also conduct unannounced inspections and investigations to detect any corruption or malpractice within the projects,” the statement read.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Darwina Mohd Daud