PUTRAJAYA, May 7 — The operational report and findings of The Malaysian Corruption Study (MaCoS) Population Module presented by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) and its consultant team have opened a new dimension in understanding corruption challenges in the country.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy chief commissioner Datuk Azmi Kamaruzaman said the comprehensive study focused on citizens' experiences dealing with both the public and private sectors and various aspects related to corrupt practices.
"Through this study, the MACC can identify at-risk population groups, types of involved public officials and private sector workers, administrative procedures prone to corruption, forms of solicited bribes, as well as reasons and consequences for accepting or rejecting corrupt offers," he said in a statement today.
The study also measured public awareness, knowledge and perceptions regarding corruption issues, providing MACC with comprehensive insights to develop more effective prevention strategies.
The report was presented at the 2nd MaCoS Steering Committee Meeting for 2025 at MACC headquarters yesterday, which was attended by key agencies and academic figures.
During the meeting, DOSM delivered the operational report while consultants from UKM Pakarunding Sdn Bhd presented research findings to attendees, which included MACC's Community Education Division Director Datuk Nazli Rasyid Sulong, Agency Integrity Management Division Director Lim Bee Kean, and DOSM's Deputy Chief Statistician for Social and Technical Development Nazaria Baharudin.
The National University of Malaysia's Integrity and Ombudsman Unit Head Tengku Elmi Azlina Tengku Muda was also present.
The MaCoS study, involving 15,000 respondents, was conducted from March 1 to June 14 last year.
Azmi said the study represents one of MACC's key initiatives to improve Malaysia's position to 25th place in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by 2033, aligning with the sixth benchmark of the Madani Economy framework.
"These evidence-based findings from actual public experiences should complement existing CPI data, which has traditionally relied solely on public perceptions of corruption," he said.
— Bernama
