PUTRAJAYA - The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Organisation (Pakar) has been set up to help the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) educate the public about the dangers of corruption.
Pakar president Datuk Seri Shamshun Baharin Mohd Jamil said the main goal of the organisation was to develop the public's hate towards corruption and to help the anti-graft agency increase the public's awareness.
He said the establishment of Pakar will help MACC carry out its role in educating and developing a society with high integrity.
"We know that MACC is experiencing lack of manpower. There are only around 300 officers in the prevention division.
"If the amount is compared to the public services' workers, it is equivalent to 0.01 per cent who are doing the tasks (under the prevention division)," he said.
He said this when met at the Pakar General Assembly held at the MACC headquarters, here, today.
The launching ceremony was officiated by MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki.
Also present was MACC Community Education Division director Datuk Razim Mohd Noor.
Commenting further, Shamshun said as MACC has a limited number of officers, he hoped that Pakar will help the commission spread information and reach out to the public so they will not get involved in corruption.
Apart from that, he said Pakar will also be responsible in providing a clear understanding about MACC to the public as there were still many people who were unaware of MACC's role and duties.
"The public think that MACC is able to do everything but the truth is that the enforcement agency only conducts investigations.
"The decision to charge individuals is within the Attorney-General Chambers' jurisdiction.
"Therefore, with Pakar, information could be spread to the people so they could truly understand MACC's role," he said.
Accordingly, he said Pakar will be expanded throughout Malaysia including opening branches at the state level.
He said the Pakar membership was opened to everyone who sincerely wanted to fight against corruption and abuse of power.
However, he said the highest positions of the Pakar central level namely the president, deputy president and vice president posts would be filled in by those who were former MACC top officials.
This was to ensure that Pakar could achieve the goals and objectives of its establishment.
He insisted that Pakar will not act as a pressure group but rather help the government's effort to fight corruption.
"We want to make Malaysia known as a country with high integrity and not for dozens of corruption cases and abuse of power," he said.