PUTRAJAYA, March 21 — A senior official in the scandal-hit Youth and Sports Ministry has been interdicted from his duties on half pay pending completion of his corruption investigation, Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa said today.
He said the move was a regular procedure for all civil servants under investigation, and added that the balance of the pay would be returned if the person is later cleared of suspicion.
“The KBS has already presented the acknowledgement of that officer’s interdiction of duties to the Public Services Commission for the order to be issued,” he told a news conference here, using the Malay abbreviation for the Youth and Sports Ministry.
Ali said someone else will have to fill in the officer's post in the meantime.
“He won't serve the same office until every investigation is over,” he said, citing Regulation 43 of the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993 on the interdiction of duties.
Regulation 43 says an officer under probe for a criminal offence can be interdicted for the purpose of the investigation but will still be entitled to his or her salary.
Regulations 28 and 45, however, state that if the officer is convicted of an offence in court, the disciplinary authority has the jurisdiction to suspend him or her without salary.
Regulation 11 allows for disciplinary action on those with a lifestyle that exceeds their pay, he said.
He disagreed that the recent Budget revision had any connection to this investigation.
“No, recent Budget cuts got nothing to do with emolument or anything for civil servants; in fact we are going to give pay increase on July 1st, so they should be very happy. There’s no reason for civil servants to take any illicit activity while doing their job, so there’s no reason I think, nobody’s pay was cut,” he said.
According to Ali, there was already an existing 2004 government circular on the placement and transfers of civil servants, but said the problem was that it was not enforced fully.
Under the circular, a department head could transfer an officer who had served for three to five years in a “sensitive” post that involved matters such as finance or contracts, direct dealings with clients during law enforcement or processing of applications that can result in financial returns.
Sensitive positions also include those who are required to make payments or collect proceeds, as well as making discretionary decisions on someone’s eligibility to receive something or compliance with rules.
Officers who are in non-sensitive posts should be transferred after three to eight years, he said.
Ali said the Public Services Department will monitor government agencies from now on to ensure transfers of those in sensitive posts once the prescribed time is up, but noted the past challenges faced in implementing the circular.
“Because there has been requests from ministries, including from secretaries-general who pleaded that these officers are very critical and should remain in the ministries… I ask all ministries, together with the help of ministers, to not plead when an officer is transferred due to long periods at a ministry,” he said.
Last Friday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested a 56-year-old senior official from the Youth and Sports Ministry suspected of embezzling an estimated RM100 million over the past six years.
Among the assets seized from the suspect valued at about RM20 million, were 12 vehicles, designer handbags and jewellery. Some 69 bank accounts containing RM8.3 million were also frozen.
