PUTRAJAYA (June 10): There will be no promotion for department heads if misconduct by civil servants under them exists and is not reported, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

He said it was quite impossible for department heads or unit chiefs to be unaware of the existence of misconduct in their respective administrations.

"If misconduct is clearly visible, why didn't the department head report it? Why didn't the unit chief know? Sometimes I wonder because this practice has been going on for years, it's impossible not to know.

"So I will recommend to KSN (chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali) in our upcoming meeting regarding salary adjustment, we will stipulate that a department head or unit chief will not be promoted if it is known that the system underneath them is corrupt and not reported," he said.

Anwar said this when addressing the monthly assembly of the Prime Minister's Department here on Monday.

Anwar, who is also finance minister, said that he wants a decision regarding the aspect of promotions to be made next week, with the method expected to be announced by Mohd Zuki and Public Service Department director-general (KPPA) Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.

"I hope you understand, if not, you can choose not to be a department head because the responsibility is greater. Tell the KPPA that I (you) only want to work as an ordinary officer, I (you) don't want to be a unit or department head," he said.

He said that with this step, it means the responsibility to prevent misconduct lies not only with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) alone, but also with department heads and unit chiefs.

"This is not just about saving the image and integrity of civil servants but to save our country. I want Malaysia to be known as a clean country, with minimal corruption," he added.

Meanwhile, Anwar urged civil servants, the majority of whom are Muslims, to instill the spirit of haj in their work practices towards achieving excellence in their duties and to eradicate all forms of dishonesty.

Also present were Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.

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