International conference: Top Malaysian graft buster calls on NAB chief

Both officials discuss possibility of signing an MoU for setting up NAB Academy in Islamabad.

CHINA/ TIANGING: Chief Commissioner of Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed called on National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief Qamar Zaman Chaudhry on Friday.

Officials of both countries, who met on the sidelines of the ninth international conference of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities at Tianging in China, discussed various matters of mutual concern, including the possibility of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between NAB and MACC.

The NAB chief said that the graft watchdog was committed to eradicating corruption by adopting a zero-tolerance policy against the corrupt.

He said that NAB signed an MoU with the Higher Education Commission for establishing 10,000 character-building societies (CBSs) had been set up at universities and colleges for enhancing public awareness against the effects of corruption among the youth.

According to him, NAB had devised a comprehensive Quantified Grading System in NAB to review annual performance of its regional bureaus.

He said that the annual performance of all NAB’s regional bureaus was evaluated under the grading system between January and February this year and all bureaus were informed about their strengths and weaknesses.

NAB, he said, had established its first forensic science lab at its Rawalpindi/Islamabad Regional Bureau. The lab, he said, was equipped with facilities of digital forensics, questioned documents and fingerprint analysis.

According to him, NAB gave priority to corruption cases --normal cases starting from Rs100-200 million, complex cases from Rs500 million to Rs1 billion and mega cases of Rs1 billion and above.

He said that NAB was planning to establish its Anti-Corruption Academy at Islamabad for capacity-building on the pattern of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Academy. Chief Commissioner of MACC Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed appreciated NAB’s performance under the leadership of Chairman NAB Qamar Zaman Chaudhry and assured all possible cooperation in setting up the anti-corruption academy at Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 14^th, 2016.