KOTA KINABALU, Sept 27 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is now focusing on efforts to combat illegal logging and mining activities nationwide, said its chief commissioner Latheefa Koya.

She said the agency would go all out to combat the illegal activities as environmental issues involved public interest.

"As such, we are in the midst of formulating strategies that involve more sophisticated methods as some perpetrators have become too comfortable carrying out such activities because they know about our system,” she said at a media dialogue session here today.

Also present was Sabah Journalists Association president Muguntan Vanar.

Latheefa said MACC would also give more focus on carrying out its main task and responsibility which was the prevention of corruption.

"Many do not know that the main task of MACC is (corruption) prevention… MACC is more popularly known now as an agency that carries out arrests.  Actually, two-thirds of the MACC act is meant for preventive purposes,” she said.

As part of its preventive measures, she said MACC personnel would go to government departments or agencies where many corruption cases had been reported.

"We will meet them and ask how they carry out their jobs. If we find something is wrong... any instructions given by us must be obeyed,” she said.

Meanwhile, commenting on the proposal that MACC senior officers be placed in the offices of mentri besar or chief ministers, Latheefa said it had received a positive response.

"We made the proposal as part of the preventive measures to ensure that there is no corruption and abuse of power at the state level,” she said. — Bernama