KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that the Madani Government’s efforts to combat systemic corruption and rectify structural governance weaknesses have been proven by the improvement in Malaysia’s ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

The Prime Minister said that Malaysia’s leap to 54th place in the global CPI was driven, among other factors, by firm enforcement actions from authorities such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Royal Malaysia Police, the Inland Revenue Board and the Royal Malaysian Customs Department.

“This includes the successful recovery of over RM15.5 billion in national revenue through the seizure of assets and funds, as well as the dismantling of corruption syndicates and leakages that have long affected public finances,” he said in a Facebook post.

While expressing gratitude for the CPI improvement, Anwar stressed that the Madani Government will not compromise when the integrity of strategic institutions is questioned.

The Prime Minister added that stern action against misconduct and misappropriation in the defence sector, alongside the exposure of cartels and high-profile corruption, reinforces the principle that no one is above the law.

“This achievement is also a reminder for us to redouble our efforts to fight corruption consistently and courageously, in order to restore the people’s confidence and ensure the nation’s trust is upheld,” Anwar said.

Based on the CPI 2025 report released by Transparency International (TI) yesterday, Malaysia’s ranking improved from 57th place in 2024 to 54th place last year.

According to the report, Malaysia is ranked third among Asean nations, following Singapore and Brunei; furthermore, the country’s score for last year increased to 52 points, compared to 50 in the 2024 assessment, indicating a moderate but encouraging upward trend. — Bernama