KUCHING: Ministry of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development permanent secretary Edwin Abit hopes that their Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) will be applied in the daily tasks and work culture of all staff within the ministry, including departments and agencies under it.
He said this at the launch of four copies of the OACP Book adopted by the ministry and a department under its supervision, the Department of Veterinary Services Sarawak (DVSS), as well as two agencies, Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) and Sarawak Land Development Board (SLDB).
“All these OACP documents have undergone an organised process and encompass all areas in line with the requirements set by the government,” he said at the launch here today.
He emphasised that efforts to promote the values of transparency, integrity and good governance must be implemented in a consistent manner to eliminate opportunities for corrupt practices in any form.
“The OACP launched today is an important anti-corruption policy document at the organisation level, aimed at handling issues and weaknesses in governance, integrity, and corruption in an organisation.”
He explained that the creation of these OACP documents started with the preparation of corruption risk management plans in September 2019, continuing with follow-up workshops until early this year.
Edwin said as the ministry was given significant allocations each year to develop agriculture, there were certainly opportunities in which staff faced elements of corruption and the abuse of power.
“These negative elements are always there; that is why it is all the more important for us to have strength and purpose in this regard,” he said, emphasising the application of positive values such as honesty, sincerity, wisdom, fairness, transparency, and gratitude.
“This is very important because when we have awareness and trust, and make integrity a daily practice, a conducive environment can be created towards cultivating the value of integrity in our organisation.”
He pointed out that aside from creating these OACP documents, the ministry along with its departments and agencies also carried out various other initiatives to strengthen the culture of integrity among staff, including establishing an Integrity Unit in all departments and agencies, holding Integrity Day, and appointing Certified Integrity Officers.
Edwin added that they also studied all procedures, documents, and the organisational structure of the ministry in order to always be transparent and up-to-date in complying with the latest policies and regulations.
Also present were Minister in the Chief Minister’s Office (Integrity and Ombudsman) Datuk Talib Zulpilip, the ministry’s assistant minister Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Integrity and Ombudsman Unit director Adana Jed, DVSS director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud, Salcra general manager Joseph Blandoi, SLDB general manager Siang Mandaw and other representatives.
