Fighting misconduct, corruption in spirit of Merdeka

Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) chairman, Tan Sri Dr. Ismail Bakar urges all Malaysians, whether in the public or private sector, to embody the spirit of independence in conjunction with the 67th National Day by courageously opposing misconduct and corruption to uphold the dignity of the nation. - Bernama pic

PUTRAJAYA: While the fluttering of the Jalur Gemilang and shouts of independence (Merdeka) grow louder as National Day approaches, this patriotic spirit would be more meaningful if it were translated into action by citizens joining the government to free the nation of corruption and abuse of power.

In the past, the people were willing to risk their lives to fight the colonisers to free the homeland. Today, citizens must be brave in taking action against those who give and receive bribes for the honour of the nation towards ensuring the country continues to progress and gain respect globally.

Indeed, fighting this "enemy within" is not easy, but it can be achieved through integrity and public participation, supporting the government's committed efforts to combat corruption and abuse of power.

Moreover, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly emphasised the need to fight those who steal or rob the nation's wealth, regardless of rank or age.

Therefore, Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) chairman, Tan Sri Dr. Ismail Bakar urges all Malaysians, whether in the public or private sector, to embody the spirit of independence in conjunction with the 67th National Day by courageously opposing misconduct and corruption to uphold the dignity of the nation.

He said the government's aspiration is for civil servants to have high integrity, ensuring that there is no more leakages in the management of government finances, thus improving the delivery system of services to the people.

"There should be no more injustice in public service delivery, no more favouritism. This is the spirit of independence from the perspective of integrity. It means that if we have a free spirit, we are free to receive government services fairly and equitably without the need to participate in government project tenders that require middlemen," he told Bernama in an interview recently.

Ismail said that if the public service delivery system is transparent, the government's allocations will be fully utilised for projects without any leakage, thus ensuring that the people fully benefit from the allocations.

"Government projects are funded by the people; if there is leakage, the people have to pay back, the lifespan of the project becomes shorter, and the quality declines. Eventually, the project requires additional maintenance costs. There is no funding due to leakage, so the government has to borrow and raise taxes. Therefore, corruption and integrity issues need to be viewed from a broader perspective," he said.

He added that significant losses of national revenue can occur due to negligence in government agencies, such as at ports and entry points, and the presence of elements providing protection to illegal activities and the underground economy.

"In line with the National Day theme, 'Malaysia Madani - Jiwa Merdeka,' EAIC appeals to all government agencies with power to engage in self-reflection.

"We need to reflect on whether what we have been doing is right, especially for agencies with the power to act but instead protect activities that harm society and the nation by losing opportunities to generate revenue by protecting illegal activities. I believe this is a serious betrayal of the King," he said.

He said that every civil servant is appointed by the King through the Constitution, and if they lack integrity by protecting illegal activities such as gambling, prostitution, and drugs, they are betraying their appointment and the current government.

"If there are those involved, whether department heads or others, please embrace the principles of the National Day spirit towards a clean and progressive Malaysia. Reflect and ask yourself if you are satisfied with the issues of leakage, corruption, and integrity," he said.

He stressed that fighting corruption and misconduct is everyone's responsibility, whether department heads, politicians, or all branches of government, including the executive, legislative, and judiciary, in upholding the spirit of integrity and refraining from corruption.

Ismail underscored that efforts to enhance the level of integrity among civil servants begin with the appointment process and that if the appointment to a position is done correctly and in accordance with the law, it ensures that integrity is better instilled at the public service level.

He also said that the role of schools in providing knowledge and exposure on integrity needs to be strengthened, and parents should educate their children about not taking what doesn't belong to them, mutual respect, and not encouraging the culture of paying bribes to get tasks done.

Ismail emphasised that achieving a respected nation requires more than economic progress and development as it is also essential for civil servants to be respected for their high level of integrity, setting an example for other countries.

"Foreigners look at Malaysia based on the strength of its civil servants. Good civil servants reflect the country's development. I'm sure that if the civil servants are not up to the mark, the country will not progress.

"I want to see Malaysian civil servants known worldwide as individuals with integrity who can contribute to the nation's development," he said. -- BERNAMA

Source link 

Related stories

Don't blame non-Muslims for corruption, says deputy IGP

/

Unshackling from corruption

176 complaints of misconduct, mostly about Immigration Dept - EAIC

Lavish events, gift-giving damages morale, says corruption watchdog

Entire doping ecosystem formed in US under government indulgence: investigation report

 

While the US has ramped up efforts to discredit Chinese athletes with doping allegations, a media investigation report revealed on Saturday that a deeply entrenched doping industry has taken root in the US over recent decades, from athletes to coaches and agents, and from pharmaceutical companies to government bodies.
 
With the US indulging doping practices meanwhile struggling with domestic drug abuse, Chinese experts said Washington is throwing mud at others with its “polluted culture,” warning that global sport industry should remain vigilant against its ill intentions particularly in the next Olympics to be held on its soil.
 
The revelation by Yuyuantantian, a media arm of China Media Group, comes from a comprehensive review of US doping scandals in the past 20 years. 
 
From the outset, most US professional leagues and the National Collegiate Athletic Association have not signed the World Anti-Doping Code, leaving them beyond its control and creating a foundation for internal doping cover-up in the country. And thus from a young age, American athletes are exposed to the allure of doping, often encouraged by their coaches, agents, and sports institutions, Yuyuantantian said in the report.   
 
Coaches play a crucial role in this area, particularly in youth swimming teams, where they have been known to secretly administer painkillers and other prescription drugs under the guise of treating injuries. Many of these drugs are banned by WADA, alongside performance-enhancing steroids, the investigation report said. 
 
An earlier study by the AP found that among 61,000 US college athletes, thousands exhibited unnatural weight gain — an indication of steroid use, the report noted. “The widespread doping practices are sustained by collusion between coaches and pharmaceutical companies, forming a critical link in the doping ecosystem,” it said.
 
By the time American athletes reach the international stage, many are already addicted, the investigation has noted. The report cited American cyclist Lance Armstrong, a seven-time Tour de France champion, as a prime example. 
 
He admitted that doping helped him for each of his seven Tour de France wins, by using EPO, human growth hormone, and diuretics. He also admitted to falsifying documents saying he passed drug tests, according to media reports. 
 
The Yuyuantantian report disclosed that his team manager and doctor were complicit in the scheme, and team doctors fabricated his illnesses to justify the “legal” use of drugs.
 
The US government is the most influential manipulator behind the scenes, the investigation report said.  
 
On the global stage, it leveraged its power to protect US athletes, often ensuring they avoid testing to gain an unfair advantage. In addition, the US Olympic Committee frequently “overlooks” such actions, leading to widespread abuse of substances like testosterone, it revealed. 
 
According to media reports, US athletes applied for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) at a rate more than ten times that of other countries. 
 
As international anti-doping efforts expanded, countries established independent agencies outside the IOC. In response, the US government enacted legislation granting its anti-doping agencies "long-arm jurisdiction," enabling them to investigate and harass athletes from other nations – in this case, the Chinese swimmers, the report said.  
 
“This stems from an arrogant sense of exceptionalism of the US, which regards itself unique and superior to others. Thus, it tries to disrupt international norms by imposing its domestic rules on the global stage, not only in sports but in almost all arenas,” Li Haidong, a professor from the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday.
 
Industry insiders have revealed that in the lead-up to the Paris Olympic Games, the US deliberately sought to stir up controversy around Chinese doping allegation by rehashing unsubstantiated reports from three years ago. This move is intended to disrupt Chinese team’s preparations for the Paris Games and even attempt to disqualify Chinese athletes.
 
The International Testing Agency (ITA) confirmed on Friday that related reports from the US have led to the excessive anti-doping tests on the Chinese Olympic swimming team.
 
The smearing of Chinese athletes is also a result of jealousy, as the US cannot bear to see their traditionally-dominant sports like swimming being surpassed by China, observers noted. This approach again mirrors the zero-sum logic that characterizes US policy in other areas.
 
What’s more, Li noted that as the US struggles with widespread issues like marijuana, doping, and prescription drug abuse, it is exporting this same “polluted culture” to the global stage. “This is an attempt to throw mud at the whole world,” Li said. 
 
Sports also are, in the mind-set of US politicians, a geopolitical tool to undermine its rivals’ soft power, the expert added, warning that the world should be vigilant against the weaponization of sports in the Paris Games as well as the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
 
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach on Friday called on the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to respect the supreme authority of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), while emphasized the IOC's full confidence in WADA.

Bach made the remarks during a press conference while responding to a controversy that stems from allegations by WADA that USADA allowed athletes who violated anti-doping rules to continue competing without sanctions. In exchange for their cooperation in providing information on other doping violations, these athletes were reportedly shielded from public exposure and penalties.
 
WADA recently came under US attack, as the agency confirmed China was blameless after US media hyped a 2021 incident in which 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) due to inadvertent contamination.

Source link 

President Xi Jin Pin expressed congratulations to the participants of Paris Olympics*

Medal Table

 < click Live update

Paris 2024 Olympic Medal Table

The final Olympic medal tally puts US on top in Paris, China ...

U.S. again beats China in Olympic medals table after they tie for gold; France exceeds expectations

PARIS (AP) — The contest for most gold medals at the Paris Olympics ended in a 40-40 tie between China and the United States.

But the U.S. topped the medals table with a whopping 126 overall, compared to 91 for China. At the Tokyo Games, the U.S. also edged China in the medal count, finishing with 113 overall and 39 golds, compared to 89 medals with 38 gold for China.

Who was supposed to lead the medal count at the Paris Games?

According to Nielsen’s Gracenote virtual medal-table forecast, which collected results data from big competitions since the Tokyo Games, the top five for overall medals in Paris was going to be as follows: The U.S. (112 overall medals); China (86); Britain (63); France (60) and Australia (54).

The U.S. did top the medals table. However, the U.S. and China both upped their gold and overall medal counts.

Japan proved the virtual predictors wrong by sneaking into third place with 20 golds among its 45 medals.

France and Australia were in the top five as predicted, but the other way around.

Skateboard star Keegan Palmer helped Australia go fourth with 18 golds among 53 medals, while fifth-place France tallied 16 golds among its 64 medals.

Britain got more medals than in Tokyo — 65 to 64 — but had less golds and was seventh overall behind the Netherlands.

Here’s a closer look at the some of the nations:

Great haul of China, as team dominates diving

When Cao Yuan defended his title in the men’s 10-meter platform on Saturday, it gave his nation an unprecedented sweep of the diving gold medals.

China won all eight golds handed out at the Olympic Aquatics Centre.

China won five golds in each of shooting, table tennis and weightlifting, with China’s victory in the team event in table tennis giving the country its 300th gold in Olympic history.

Golds galore for USA on track, but no medal in women’s water polo

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own world record in the 400-meter hurdles as the U.S. won 14 golds in track and field.

Noah Lyles won a historically close men’s 100-meter race, and Gabrielle Thomas took the women’s 200. Quincy Hall won the men’s 400 at a Stade de France, which grew accustomed to hearing the American national anthem.

International pressure mounts on US over its anti-doping practices

After smearing Chinese athletes in recent months over so-called doping problems, the US is now facing mounting pressure over its ...

Related posts:

WADA statement on Reuters story exposing USADA scheme in contravention of World Anti-Doping Code

WADA statement on Reuters story exposing USADA scheme in contravention of World Anti-Doping Code

WADA Exposes USADA's Prolonged Doping Scheme ... WADA Exposes USADA's Prolonged Doping Scheme ... The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA..

Weaponized tests: How US uses extraterritorial jurisdiction to intervene in international sports, tarnish China’s anti-doping efforts

President Xi Jin Pin expressed congratulations to the participants of Paris Olympics*

No banking on hacked phones

 

PETALING JAYA: Customers with compromised devices will be temporarily restricted from accessing banking apps as banks in Malaysia roll out a feature that detects high-risk malware and suspicious remote access.

In a statement yesterday, the Association of Banks Malaysia (ABM) and Association of Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions Malaysia (Aibim) said the feature, called malware shielding, will be embedded within the banks’ native mobile banking apps.

Both organisations stated that the feature is designed to prevent unauthorised transactions, protect customers’ funds, and shield them from malware scams.

“It will essentially alert or block customers from conducting banking activities on compromised devices,” said the statement. 

Banks that have enabled the feature on their mobile banking apps include Alliance Bank, AmBank, Bank Muamalat, Bank Simpanan Nasional, CIMB Bank, HSBC Bank, Maybank, MBSB Bank, OCBC Bank, Public Bank, RHB Bank, Standard Chartered, and UOB Bank.

“Emphasising customer privacy, malware shielding is only activated upon the customer launching the mobile banking app and does not run in the background 24/7,” said ABM chairman Datuk Khairussaleh Ramli in the statement.

He added that customers’ banking information and personal data will remain confidential.

Bank Negara governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said the fight against online scams is a shared responsibility, welcoming the move by banks to enhance online banking apps with added security features.

“This helps to create a more secure banking environment for all Malaysians. We also urge members of the public to remain vigilant against requests to download apps from unofficial sources,” he added.

Customers are advised to reach out to their banks’ 24/7 fraud hotline for assistance should they encounter a temporary restriction.

When contacted, National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin said the measure is well-suited to address specific challenges faced by users in Malaysia as cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and prevalent.

“In 2023, 40% of the total incidents monitored by the National Cyber Coordination and Command Centre (NC4) were malware-related. In 2024, up until June, the NC4 handled 34% of incidents related to malware,” Megat Zuhairy said.

While the temporary restriction is regarded as an important preventive step, Megat Zuhairy said its effectiveness is also dependent on users.

“They need to adhere to recommended cyber hygiene practices such as to only download apps from official platforms and avoid performing online activities through unsecured WiFi networks,” he said.

Malaysia Cybersecurity Community rawSEC chairman Ts Tahrizi Tahreb said the malware shielding technology could potentially prevent several types of banking malware that are used by hackers to infiltrate devices and perform unauthorised financial transactions.

“Some of them include Cerberus which can mimic legitimate banking app interfaces to capture user credentials and one-time passwords through overlays and screenshots,” he said.

Tahrizi added that another type of malware called Gustuff has been known to target over 100 banking apps and can automate bank transactions on compromised devices.

“These malware types often exploit vulnerabilities in mobile banking applications, making them prime targets for shielding technologies,” he said.

Malaysia Cyber Consumer Association (MCCA) said the initiative represents a proactive approach to addressing the growing threat of cyberattacks on financial systems.

“However, MCCA also emphasises the importance of implementing this feature with caution, transparency, and a strong focus on user education,” its chairman Siraj Jalil said.

He added that the criteria used to define a “compromised device” must be transparent and precise.

“The effectiveness of such a solution hinges on its ability to accurately identify compromised devices without generating false positives. A significant number of false positives could lead to legitimate users being locked out of their banking apps, causing unnecessary frustration and potential financial disruption.

“If users find themselves frequently locked out of their apps, they might resort to using web-based banking solutions, which may not be as secure as the mobile apps, or they could turn to unofficial methods to bypass the restrictions, further exposing themselves to risks,” said Siraj.

Tahrizi said banks can further enhance security and customer protection by implementing some additional measures.

“Banks should regularly test their apps through application security testing (AST) and infrastructure security testing (IST). All identified issues should be tracked, with priority given to remediating critical and high vulnerabilities,” he added.

Customers also need to be constantly reminded of the latest potential online scam attempts.

“Ongoing education and awareness of safe mobile banking practices, such as recognising phishing attempts and avoiding suspicious downloads, can empower customers to protect themselves, and this is a very effective first line of defence,” he said.

Source link 

Related posts:

THE FIGHT AGAINST CYBERCRIME IN FINANCIAL SERVICES

EXCLUSIVE On top of the scams list: Beating the cheats

 

A journey filled with cultural riches

Model student: Goh delivering a speech at her graduation ceremony in 2022, where she received the award for outstanding doctoral graduate. — Photo courtesy of Goh

Scholar says her five-year stay in China nothing short or unforgettable

PETALING JAYA: A Malaysian’s academic journey in China has been enriched with unique opportunities to advance personal growth and experience the country’s rich culture.

Dr Goh Chye Poh said her most fascinating experience was attending the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Paralympic Winter Games and contributing to the production of its theme song music video “Together for a Shared Future” for the Beijing TV station covering the event.

“It was truly a privilege for me and my coursemates to be part of such a significant and unforgettable experience.

“I was honoured to contribute creatively to the representation of the Paralympics through music,” she told The Star in a recent interview. 

Goh, 35, from Taiping, Perak, pursued her doctorate in Chinese International Education at Beijing Language and Culture University on a Chinese government scholarship after completing her master’s degree at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.

Since arriving in China in 2019, she has embraced the country’s diverse experiences.

“Each season brings its own unique beauty, from spring blooms to winter snow. 

“Adapting to the changing seasons requires adjusting not just my clothing and activities but also my mindset.

“Over time, I’ve learnt to fully embrace the rhythms of the four seasons,” she said.

Goh’s academic journey has been marked by achievements, including winning prizes in essay and speech competitions for Asean international students.

“These achievements led to more opportunities to participate in international events,” she said.

Goh also had the opportunity to deliver a speech at her 2022 graduation ceremony after successfully defending her thesis on comparative lexical knowledge systems between Malaysia and China.

To stay updated on industry developments, Goh said she frequently attended or hosted forums.

“Earlier this year, I had the honour of participating in exchange activities in Xinjiang, a crucial Silk Road hub with a rich and diverse culture that left a lasting impression.

“The most rewarding aspect was immersing myself in the daily lives of local residents.

“Seeing the unique cultural charm of each city I visited is so endearing,” she said.

Now living in the central business district of Chaoyang in Beijing, Goh’s passion for learning and experiencing new adventures remains a driving force in her academic and personal pursuits.

“I hope I will visit more cities in China. My time here has been both enriching and fulfilling.

“The country has provided countless opportunities for my career advancement and personal growth,” she said.

Source link 

Related posts:

Thrilled to leave his mark in China

 

Melaka-born lawyer finds the perfect place to work hard and play hard

Thrilled to leave his mark in China

 

Melaka-born lawyer finds the perfect place to work hard and play hard