NREB collaborates with MACC on anti-corruption initiatives

KUCHING: The National Resources and Environmental Board (NREB) has been urged to collaborate with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on anti-corruption initiatives in the workplace.

Deputy Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Dr Hazland Abang Hipni said that both the government and MACC have implemented various programmes and laws to fight all forms of misconduct. 

“NREB must take an active role in combating corruption by strengthening internal reporting systems and enforcing strict monitoring to ensure transparency in every aspect of their operations,” he said during the 2024 NREB Integrity Day Celebration at Sheraton Hotel on Tuesday.

He noted that Transparency International Malaysia had announced that the country’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score improved to 50 points in 2023, up from 47 points the previous year.

“This placed Malaysia at 57th position in 2023 out of 180 countries, compared to 61st position in 2022.

“In terms of ASEAN rankings, Malaysia ranks second-best after Singapore, which scored 83 and fifth overall out of 180 countries.

“Based on the CPI score, the higher the score, the cleaner a country is from corruption practices, while a lower score indicates a higher prevalence of corruption.” he said.

At the event, Dr Hazland launched NREB’s Financial Procedure Manual (Manual Prosedur Kewangan).

“This manual is important as it provides clear guidelines for financial management, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, and increasing transparency and accountability,” he said.

He added that the manual also helps reduce the risk of misconduct and errors, improves operational efficiency, and facilitates the audit process.

“Overall, it ensures that financial management is conducted with integrity, efficiency, and control,” he said.

Earlier, 18 staff of NREB each received cash prize of RM1,000 and a certificate of appreciation as an incentive to further motivate them in providing excellent service towards achieving NREB’s vision of “A Green, Clean and Healthy Sarawak”.