King's Reminder To Be Guiding Principle To Ensure Graft, Abuse Of Power Do Not Recur – MINDEF

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (Bernama) — The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) will take the Royal Address of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, as its main guiding principle to ensure that incidents of abuse of power, corruption and misconduct within the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) do not recur.

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, said the firm reminder delivered by His Majesty when opening the 15th Parliament's Fifth Session is being taken seriously to safeguard the integrity of the nation’s security forces and to maintain public confidence in the institution.

“We humbly uphold and appreciate the Royal Address and the reminder. We will ensure it becomes our guiding principle so that what we went through (issues of misconduct) last year and in previous years does not happen again.

“That is why in my New Year address, I outlined eight perspectives and action approaches to ensure that leakages and abuse of power can be completely prevented,” he said at a press conference after the handover ceremony of the SASaR Residensi Sateria Sungai Besi housing project here today.

In His Majesty’s address, Sultan Ibrahim expressed disappointment over corruption cases that occurred within the ATM, including at the highest levels.

Last Thursday, the media reported that 23 individuals, including two senior officers and four high-ranking ATM officers, were detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

The arrests were linked to investigations into corruption and abuse of power involving procurement issues and the use of public funds.

-- BERNAMA