By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, Oct 10: Sarawak has emerged as the State with the highest number of certified integrity officers (CeIOs) in Malaysia, further cementing its commitment to transparency and good governance.
According to Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, the State now has 211 CeIOs spread across various ministries, government agencies, and statutory bodies.
“I have been informed that currently, Sarawak has produced a total of 211 certified integrity officers who have been placed in various ministries with 25 officers, 64 officers in departments, 55 officers in statutory bodies (BBN), 28 officers in local authorities (PBT), 27 officers in Resident Offices, and 12 officers in other agencies.
“This makes Sarawak the state with the highest number of CeIOs compared to other states in Malaysia,” he said during his address at the Majlis Amanat Perdana Integriti (MAP-I) 2024 held today at the Dewan Kompleks Islam Kuching here.
Abang Johari further emphasised the importance of the role and function of CeIOs in supporting the Sarawak government to achieve its mission and vision of becoming a highly developed and high-integrity State by 2030.
“CeIOs not only play a role in cultivating integrity within organisations, but also play a significant role in strengthening the culture of integrity within the community.
“This is crucial to ensure that the services delivered to stakeholders and the public are not only of high quality but are also based on transparency and strong integrity.
“When services are delivered in this manner, public trust in the government’s leadership will be strengthened, and investor confidence to continue contributing to Sarawak’s economy will also increase,” he explained.
The Premier expressed confidence that the significant number of CeIOs has successfully enabled the State to achieve its goal of placing at least one CeIO in every agency across Sarawak.
“While this is an achievement we can be proud of, what is more important is that the CeIOs perform their roles and functions excellently, with full accountability and integrity.
“When CeIOs carry out their duties well, it not only strengthens the people’s trust in the government’s leadership but also ensures a more transparent administration free from corrupt practices,” he noted.
The event was attended by various dignitaries and officials, including Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas; Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan; Chief Secretary to the Government of Malaysia, Tan Sri Dato Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar; Sarawak State Secretary Datuk Amar Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki; and Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Integrity and Ombudsman), Dato Murshid Diraja Dr Juanda Jaya. — DayakDaily
