KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 26): The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will focus on issues of leakages and misappropriation of funds in the human resources sector, as well as welfare, automotive, education and higher education, agriculture, plantation and other sectors this year.

In a statement, MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya said there were serious leakages and grant management misappropriation.

He said the value of integrity is fading among a number of companies that are responsible for assisting the government to channel funds or aid to the needy.

He said that existing funds such as Penjana, Mitra, Marii and so on are to help people who were affected by the economic downturn during the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as to further improve their skills and potential.

Ahmad Khusairi said there was a large group of individuals, companies and organisations that had taken the opportunity to profit from the suffering of the affected people and the rights due to them.

“These people blatantly took advantage by making false claims for personal wealth [from] the funds provided by the government.

“This is the attitude of economic opportunists on a small and medium scale. The value of integrity has faded, and greed has become a culture,” he said.

Ahmad Khusairi said that as a result, workers who were thrown out, graduates who were unemployed, traders who were forced to close their businesses, and those who should have received the benefits and assistance were simply marginalised.

“This is one form of leakage that the government must rectify. There is no use for any fancy policies when the implementation is a failure.

“There are just too many loopholes that can create room and opportunities for abuse to happen,” he said.

Ahmad Khusairi said the MACC sees issues of misappropriation and leakages of funds and aid of this kind as serious and important.

He said that the collaboration between the MACC and government agencies and ministries involving special operations throughout 2022 had resulted in the arrest of 133 individuals consisting of company owners and directors.

“More than a hundred companies have been investigated for misappropriation of funds estimated around RM194 million.

“As of today, a total of 34 company owners/directors have been charged in court for the offence of submitting false claims,” he said.