Dr M addresses meeting of anti-corruption authorities

VIENNA, 22 Jan -- Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hadir bagi menyampaikan ucaptama pada Persidangan Tahunan ke-10 dan Mesyuarat Agung Pertubuhan Pihak Berkuasa Pencegahan Rasuah Antarabangsa (IAACA) bertemakan '15 Tahun Konvensyen Pertubuhan Bangsa Bersatu Memerangi Rasuah, Pencapaian dan Prospek' di Pusat Antarabangsa Vienna (VIC) pada Selasa. -- fotoBERNAMA (2019) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

The PM is also expected to call on the IAACA to play a larger and more universal role

By BERNAMA

VIENNA • Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said international cooperation is vital in combating corruption and crimes due porous borders where money can be easily moved from one country to another.

The prime minister (PM) said Malaysia experienced this when funds were transferred from 1Malaysia Develoment Fund (1MDB) and laundered in the US.

“We believe the IAACA is very important because borders are now very porous. International cooperation also helps in reducing crimes,” he said in his keynote address at the 10th Annual General Assembly of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) here yesterday.

In his 40-minute speech, Dr Mahathir said there are poor countries that could not become rich and develop accordingly because of corruption.

The PM said it is necessary that countries fight graft and make sure that their leaders are not corrupt.

Dr Mahathir said Malaysia was relatively free of corruption in its first 45 years after independence, but became highly corrupt in the last 15 years.

On the Dr Mahathir Mohamad Fund, which was launched earlier yesterday by the IAACA president Dr Ali Fetais Al-Marri, the PM said Malaysia will be contributing RM500,000.

Al-Marri, who is also Qatar’s attorney general, said the fund carries the name of the Malaysian PM in recognition of Dr Mahathir’s efforts in fighting graft.

He said Qatar will start the ball rolling with a contribution of one million Qatari riyal (RM1.14 million).

The fund is to assist antigraft officers who face grave risks in the line of duty.

The IAACA was formed in 2006 to promote the effective implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, to which Malaysia is a signatory. Malaysia was among the earliest to join the IAACA, which now has a membership of 140 countries.

Also present at the event were Dr Mahathir’s wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, Deputy Foreign Minister Senator Datuk Marzuki Yahya and IAACA VP Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, who is the former chief commisioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. The conference closes tomorrow.