Putrajaya says no compromise in fight against graft after drop in global corruption index

Putrajaya says it is committed to the war against corruption in the wake of the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International which ranked Malaysia six spots lower than the previous year.

A statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office also said its anti-corruption resolve would be guided by the National Anti-Corruption Plan, an integrated approach launched in 2019 that aims to make the country graft-free by 2023.

“The government has not, and will not, compromise with those guilty of corruption, and stern action will be taken according to the rule of law,” the statement said.

The latest CPI ranking puts Malaysia at the 57th spot in a list of 180 countries, and lowered its score to 51 out of 100 points.

A series of high-profile corruption cases are still being heard in the courts despite the change of government early last year.

In July, former prime minister Najib Razak was convicted of seven charges related to RM42 million in his private bank account.