PETALING JAYA: Robust checks and balances and structural reforms, on top of the recent pay hike for civil servants, are needed to successfully curb corruption in the public sector, says Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye (pic).
The Malaysian Integrity Institute member said without a shift in mindset and culture surrounding public service, higher pay might not deter corrupt practices.
"If the system of accountability, transparency, ethics and integrity is weak, even higher salaries will not have the desired impact.
"Without robust checks and balances, some civil servants may still exploit their positions regardless of their financial incentives.
"Without structural reforms, such as changes to recruitment processes and career development opportunities, the effect of increased pay may not help over time," he said in a statement on Sunday (Aug 18).
While most civil servants deserve the impending increase in salaries, it is unlikely that corrupt practices in government agencies and departments will disappear completely, Lee lamented.
"Will the outstretched hand asking for bribes be replaced by a friendly and sincere handshake?
"Some people believe that simply raising salaries may not change the entrenched norms that facilitate corrupt behaviour," he said.
Just increasing pay without accompanying reforms in governance, ethics training, transparency, integrity and whistleblower protections is unlikely to yield significant change, he added.
"A multi-faceted approach is necessary to effectively combat corruption.
"Most of the corrupt civil servants see the taking of bribes as an easy way to increase their illegitimate income," he said.
If the public continues to view some civil servants as inherently corrupt, pay increases may not change perceptions, he noted.
"Effective public relations, education on ethics, and community engagement are necessary to foster trust.
"The government should institute new and innovative ways to buttress its efforts to stamp out or at least reduce corruption among civil servants," he said.
Lee said the government could utilise artificial intelligence and data analytics to monitor civil servants’ behaviour and track patterns that may indicate corrupt practices.
"Also, it could produce a system that brings together civil servants, technologists, academicians and NGOs to brainstorm on anti-corruption solutions," he said.
