PUTRAJAYA: The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) takes a serious view of issues involving governance, corruption and misconduct that can affect the level of service and the image of the national water service industry.
Referring to the recent arrest of two senior officers of a water supply company in Johor by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), SPAN said that as an agency which regulates the country’s water service industry through the Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655), it practices “zero tolerance’ towards corrupt practices and misuse of power in the water service industry.
“SPAN reiterates that it is the responsibility of the board of directors and top management of water supply companies to ensure their organisations practice the highest level of integrity and ethics as well as the best internal control as stipulated in the special conditions of the licence which requires compliance with the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Framework,’ it said in a statement today.
SPAN also u
rged the relevant organisations to comply with all the stipulated acts and regulations and stressed that it would take stern action based on its jurisdiction against any individual or organisation suspected of committing any offences under Act 655.
“SPAN will also give its full cooperation to the MACC to ensure the country’s water service industry is free from any elements of corruption and misconduct,’ it added.
On April 30, it was reported that the MACC arrested two senior officers of a water supply company in Johor to assist in investigation in connection with accepting bribes.
It was learnt that the investigation stemmed from several complaints filed last year about the suspects allegedly receiving bribes from the owners of two contracting companies in return for assisting the respective companies in obtaining service and supply contracts from the water supply company.
The two suspects are also alleged to have produced documents containing false information regarding an application for donations for a
programme amounting to RM3.3 million, even though the programme was not fully implemented.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency