KUALA LUMPUR, March 1 ― Perak Ruler Sultan Nazrin Muizziddin Shah today urged Putrajaya to bolster its anti-graft efforts, saying Malaysia's poor score in Transparency International's (TI) corruption perception index was cause for alarm.

Speaking at the Utusan Group Business Award here, Sultan Nazrin warned that the country was bound for self-destruction if it cannot rein in corruption, which he described as rampant today.

“This country has built itself to be among the best in the region due to its ability to draft good policies and implement laws that are fair and transparent.

“These policies have succeeded in attracting investors and traders to do business on this soil… but all that can be undone. It is often hard and long to build trust and confidence but to do damage can be done with a blink of an eye, all because of some miscalculation,” the Perak ruler said in his speech.

“Malaysia scored a mere 50 in the TI corruption perception index. And it also ranked us as number 54 from the 168 countries evaluated,” he added.

The Perak ruler made the remarks while pushing for the Utusan Group to aid in combating corruption in the country.

He said the media roup should not only reward businesses solely based on their performance, but also to factor in corporate values that included transparency and accountability.

“The Utusan Group must play its role to ensure we have zero-graft. Corruption must be reported without fear or favour ― regardless of who the perpetrator is because corruption is corruption no matter who is the corruptor,” he said.

Malaysia fell in Transparency International's 2015 Corruption Perception Index, with a ranking of 54 compared to 50 in 2014, based on official figures released in January.

Malaysia's latest ranking puts it behind other developing countries such as Jordan (45), Nambia (45) and Rwanda (44), The Malaysian Insider reported from a news conference.

The country’s score also dropped by two points to 50 in 2015 from 52 in 2014, Transparency International said.