KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Dec 2008: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said last night the government would review the salary scheme for officers and staff of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) who will be absorbed into the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The MACC will be operational in January 2009.
The Prime Minister said a committee headed by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz would hold discussions immediately to find ways of improving the salary scheme.
“Insya-Allah, the discussion will enable us to fulfil the demand made (by the ACA),” he said in his speech at the ACA Annual Dinner 2008.
Abdullah conceded that Members of Parliament had raised the matter when debating the MACC Bill in the Dewan Rakyat and Senate and it was their wish to increase the remuneration paid.
Abdullah said the remuneration should be adequate to ensure that the MACC machinery could discharge its responsibility without worrying about issues concerning salary and allowance.
Earlier in his speech, ACA director-general Datuk Seri Panglima Ahmad Said Hamdan appealed to the prime minister to reconsider the decision of the Public Service Department (PSD) on the rate of emoluments and incentives to further inspire ACA staff.
He said a better salary scheme would be able to attract more professionals to join the commission.
Meanwhile, Ahmad Said said the ACA detained 585 people this year including 271 government employees with regard to corrupt practices.
In addition, a total of RM44 million in bribes were registered between January and November this year while assets worth RM9.5 were impounded. — Bernama
