By Azreen Azirinee Azizi
GOMBAK, 23 August 2017: IIUM has become the latest university to take the initiative to sign the Corruption-Free Pledge (CFP) with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recently.
IIUM Rector, Prof. Dato’ Sri Dr. Zaleha Kamarudin, accompanied by the President of IIUM, Tan Sri Dr. Rais Yatim, signed the Corruption-Free Pledge (CFP) on 17 August witnessed by MACC’s Chief Commissioner, Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad.
A total of 200 IIUM staff including those from the top management and the vendors who were present on that day also took an oath to avoid corrupt practice and abuse of power.
IIUM was recorded as the tenth university which had participated in the pledge and the fourth university in the state of Selangor to do so.
Speaking to the audience present, Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad said that corruption has caused the obstructing of development and retarded the growth of the nation, thus reducing revenue, increasing expenditure and creating inequalities in wealth and opportunity.
“Corruption is one of the greatest factors that has hindered the development and growth of the nation. It also reduces income, increases expenditure, and create inequalities not only in wealth but opportunity,” he said.
He also stated that institutions of higher learning are not immune from corruption, thus signing the pledge is a first step in combating corruption as “it is not the responsibility of MACC alone, but a collective duty of all members of society”.
Tan Sri Dr. Rais said IIUM will always cooperate with MACC in dealing with corruption within IIUM as a way to seek justice.
“We, as a university will always be cohesive with MACC towards the final end in seeking justice for our nation,” he said, urging the IIUM community to unite in dealing with corruption.
The President also said that the university will be determined to create an anti-corruption programme that will be accepted and practised by students and staff.
“We, the university must be resolved as well, that is, to create a necessary programme of anti corruption that could be accepted and practised by students and staff of IIUM,” the President added.
CFP is an initiative introduced by MACC where its emphasis is on voluntary pledge and oath taking by an organisation’s leadership and members in their individual capacity to hold each of them accountable and responsible for carrying out their duties and to hinder them from engaging in any form of corruption and misconduct throughout their service.***