BANGI: A special task force is in the offing following the effort to better Malaysia's ranking on the global Corruption Perception Index (CPI), says Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
"Under the 12th Malaysia Plan mid-review, the government has set a target of achieving the top 25 ranking in the CPI in the coming decade.
"In line with this, the government has agreed to set up a Special CPI Task Force, which I will chair," said the Chief Secretary to the Government when launching the 3rd National Research Conference on Governance, Integrity and Anti Corruption here on Thursday. (Sept 26).
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Malaysia's CPI score improved from 47 in 2022 to 50 last year, bringing its ranking from 61 to 57.
Shamsul Azri said that the committee will be tasked with analysing the findings of the CPI survey.
He said the committee would then develop recommendations and strategies for institutional and legal reforms.
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Meanwhile, Shamsul Azri urged civil servants to change their mindsets and adapt to new and emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), blockchain and big data.
While such technologies could help reduce bureaucracy and improve delivery service, he noted that they could also be abused.
"It could lead to a new form of corruption which is more complex and tedious, such as Bitcoin and cryptocurrency," he added.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki was also present.