Civil servants can't hold more than 5 positions in GLCs'

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad announced that government officers are no longer allowed to hold more than five positions in government-linked companies.
The latest directive is meant to improve governance and transparency, he also said it was to prevent instances whereby a government officer was found to have held at least 68 positions in various GLCs.
"We are aiming to reduce this to not more than five positions at a single time.
"We do not even want to encourage officers to hold two to three more positions, but sometimes it is unavoidable," he told reporters after chairing the first Cabinet Committee on Anti-Corruption (JKKMAR) meeting at Putra Perdana, here, today.
Mahathir also said all ministers, their deputies and political secretaries were required to declare their assets which would be brought up as a report to the prime minister.
"The information received would be relayed to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
"The prime minister cannot hide information on government members and administrative officers," he said.
Also present with Mahathir during the press conference were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and former MACC chief Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed.
Abu Kassim then announced the government will be drafting up a new bill allowing them to take punitive actions against public officers who blatantly cause financial leakages and waste government money, following the meeting.
"As for addressing money politics, the Political Funding Bill will be drafted as soon as possible," he said.
Abu Kassim who is presently the Governance, Integrity and Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) director general, said this was among the main agendas brought and decided during the meeting.
GIACC's primary role, he said was to ensure that 21 pledges related to governance, integrity and fighting corruption identified in the Pakatan Harapan government's manifesto, would be given special focus with regards to their implementation in certain phases.
Among other decisions that were announced, Abu Kassim said that all Ministries must identify at least three issues or weaknesses involving the law, policies or regulations which would render their respective agencies as well as themselves open to corruption.
The ministries have to submit these issues to the GIACC in one month's time from today, upon identification.
He also announced that multiple agencies will now be parked and report under GIACC to ensure non-redundancy and enhance its efficiency.
"We have decided that the National Integrity and Good Governance Department, Institute of Integrity Malaysia, Public Complaints Bureau, Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission will be under GIACC's purview.
"GIACC has also been tasked to ensure the functions and structure of this new arrangement will not overlap while saving the government's costs expenditure," he added.