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GEORGE TOWN: An independent Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) will more effectively combat corruption and boost integrity in the public service, acting Gerakan president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said.

Koh said having an independent ACA would realise the goals of the National Integrity Plan launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2004.

"It will also give greater confidence to people when they want to report corruption cases.

"This will also show the seriousness of the Barisan Nasional government in fulfilling a key promise in our manifestos in the 2004 and 2008 elections," Koh said in a statement, welcoming the ACA's proposal to be an independent body.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said on Friday the ACA had submitted a proposal to Abdullah to allow it to operate along similar lines as Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Koh said Gerakan had long called for an independent ACA, especially since a workshop and a series of discussions were held in the 1990s.

He said the party's founding president, the late Datuk Professor Syed Hussein Ala-tas, was an academic authority on the study of corruption.

"Therefore, Gerakan will continue to pursue and support all measures to combat corruption, including streng-thening the ACA as an independent body."

Meanwhile, Transparency International Malaysia (TIM) in Kuala Lumpur agreed that an independent ACA would allow for greater transparency and was in line with PM's announcement of the setting up of a judicial appointments commission.

TIM president Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam said besides TIM, other non-governmental groups had also advocated an independent ACA to make it more efficient and effective.

"The public will have more confidence in ACA as an independent agency and have more faith in the government's commitment to combating corruption."

Navaratnam, who hoped for a speedy implementation of the proposal once it was approved, said the ACA commission should be made up of credible people.

"The commission can monitor the agency and ensure complaints against corruption are addressed.

"The advisory board will ensure the agency operates effectively.

"All these measures will promote ACA's integrity and accountability," he said.

He added that this would improve Malaysia's rating in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index.

Malaysia was ranked 43rd with a score of 5.1 in the 2006 index, which is considered as the borderline figure which distinguishes countries that do and do not have a serious corruption problem.

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