File photo shows the state cabinet taking the Integrity Pledge on Jan 15 led by Adenan.

KUCHING: Since taking office, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem has initiated various policies to improve the people’s standard of living.

One of Adenan’s top priorities has been to combat illegal logging to ensure that Sarawak will have a sustainable timber industry.

Thus, to strengthen the efforts, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has collaborated with various enforcement agencies such as the police, Inland Revenue Department and Forest Department in dealing with illegal logging.

In a recent interview with The Borneo Post in conjunction with International Anti-Corruption Day, MACC state director Datuk Badrul Shah Norman said ‘Ops Gergaji’, which was launched in May to combat illegal logging, has led to 1,057 logs worth RM245,075 being confiscated.

He said the state government’s seriousness in tackling the menace of illegal logging has given MACC a much needed boost in combating corruption in the timber industry in Sarawak.

Badrul said the setting up of a special taskforce, with Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan in charge, to counter the complex issue has been very helpful in nabbing the culprits and minimising illegal logging activities.

He pointed out that the Sarawak Timber Association (STA) was given explanation sessions related to integrity and anti-bribery messages in April following the Corporate Integrity Pledge (CIP) by the Big Six timber companies last year to combat illegal logging and corrupt practices.

“After the signing of the CIP, they have implemented 10 initiatives in their own respective organisations. And this year, we are doing the monitoring whether they have implemented the initiatives or not. Actually they don’t have to implement all the 10 simultaneously, but at least they have to implement some. Most of them have implemented the initiatives,” said Badrul, adding that it is an ongoing process.

He said throughout the year, Sarawak MACC has also been actively engaging with the public and political parties to curb corruption.

“We held anti-corruption programmes for politicians in April and October. And we have also engaged with community leaders, rural grassroots chiefs and other target segments. We have to continue this engagement with all strata of society,” said Badrul, adding that MACC Sarawak has also carried out 326 talks at various departments and agencies.

He said the accounts of some STA members amounting to some RM500 million, which were frozen in May, were released after 90 days.

According to him this showed that MACC has been very thorough in its investigation but at the same time very humane in its approach as it understands that the industry currently engages some 100,000 workers throughout the state.

MACC has also taken a comprehensive approach as it wants to educate all strata of society in the fight against corruption.

“We have established MACC secretariats at various institutions of higher learning such as Unimas (Universiti Malaysia Saraawak), Batu Lintang Institute of Teacher Education, Tun Abdul Razak Institute of Teacher Education, Rajang Institute of Teacher Education and Miri Institute of Teacher Education.

“The idea of setting up a secretariat in these institutes is for the students to set up certain mechanisms on how to address corruption among their peers,” he said, adding that MACC provides all the necessary guidelines and monitoring.

Badrul stressed that the commission also hopes the public would continue to provide information and cooperation to address corrupt practices in Sarawak.

“We also want to improve our performance regarding the public confidence perception from 67.8 per cent, which we achieved last year to 70 per cent this year. That target has been set up by our headquarters,” he said.

For this year up till Nov 20, Sarawak MACC has opened 80 investigation papers.

“At the same time we also arrested 65 people, where 35 of them have been charged in court with total fines of RM413,527 upon their conviction for corruption,” said Badrul.

He added that the number of MACC arrests has risen every year since 2013 when just 45 were apprehended, of which 15 were civil servants.

Last year, there were 59 arrests, with civil servants making up 10 of the total number.

Badrul emphasised that even though the MACC faces a lack of manpower in the state and has a large geographical area to cover, the commission would not be deterred from combating corruption under the MACC Act 2009.

“Our main focus now is to combat illegal logging activities as we have been tasked by the state government to tackle this issue seriously,” he said.

“Don’t be involved in corruption. Say no to corruption and don’t give and don’t receive.”

For further enquiries, contact MACC (Sarawak) on 082-467701/02/03 or 1-800-88-6000.