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QNA
Kuala Lumpur
The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Mahathir Mohamad and UN Secretary-General’s Representative and Executive Director of UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov honoured the winners of Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award, during a ceremony at Putrajaya Square in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
In a speech on the occasion, the Malaysian PM congratulated the Government of Qatar on organising this important event and thanked the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for its support.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the committee of the Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award for choosing Putrajaya, Malaysia, as the venue for this year’s ceremony. This event being organised in Malaysia is an important recognition from the international community of our efforts towards combating corruption in Malaysia,” he said.
He went on to say: “Malaysia and Malaysians made history with the May 9th elections when the coalition that ruled since independence was voted out. Without doubt, it was the disgust for corruption that led the majority of Malaysians to stand up and vote out the previous administration.”
“It is therefore incumbent upon us to ensure efforts to improve governance and introduce anti-corruption initiatives intended to bring an end to corrupt practices and abuse of power,” he said, stressing, “We should uphold the values of integrity and good governance in our countries and in our organisations.”
“If we want to join the ranks of developed countries, then we need to take corruption seriously. We did not get there by taking shortcuts to success,” the Malaysian premier said.
Mahathir voiced his government’s support for the initiative proposed by the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) to set up a special fund in support of the many incidents where the champions of fight against corruption had suffered in line of duty, some even got killed.
For his part, Qatar’s Attorney-General and UN Regional Special Advocate for the Prevention of Corruption stressed that the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani has given away this prize and hopes to strengthen this award on an international level through partnership with the United Nations.
“Through this prize, the Amir wishes to send a message to those who fight corruption everywhere in the world that there are those who stand with you, there are those who see your work, there are those who will take your hand to give you an example to follow. You are those who can save your country from falling into the trap of corruption,” he added.
He stressed that the war on corruption can be won only when those fighting believe that it can be won.
“The corrupt cannot fight corruption. Unless you find a leader who believes in the elimination of corruption, you will not win, no matter how hard you fight,” he said.
He pointed that the award is being presented in support of the United Nations, explaining the first award was held in Vienna in 2016 in the presence of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, and the second was held in Geneva at the United Nations Headquarters. He added that this year, this award is being held in Kuala Lumpur.
UN Secretary General’s Representative and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov said that 15 years ago, there was no global instrument to criminalise corruption. Now nearly every country in the world is a party to the UN Convention against Corruption and they cooperate and provide mutual legal assistance to prevent and fight corruption, stressing that the convention “represents the fundamental recognition that corruption is neither an acceptable cost of doing business nor a necessary evil. It is a serious crime, and simply unacceptable”.
He went on saying: “Corruption harms us all. It stifles growth and innovation, and enables many other crimes, from the illicit trafficking of drugs, arms and people to the poaching and pillaging of natural resources and cultural heritage.”
The UNODC Executive Director commended the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani for the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Awards to recognise exceptional efforts made by individuals, groups and organisations around the world.
Kuala Lumpur
The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr Mahathir Mohamad and UN Secretary-General’s Representative and Executive Director of UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov honoured the winners of Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award, during a ceremony at Putrajaya Square in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.
In a speech on the occasion, the Malaysian PM congratulated the Government of Qatar on organising this important event and thanked the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for its support.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the committee of the Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award for choosing Putrajaya, Malaysia, as the venue for this year’s ceremony. This event being organised in Malaysia is an important recognition from the international community of our efforts towards combating corruption in Malaysia,” he said.
He went on to say: “Malaysia and Malaysians made history with the May 9th elections when the coalition that ruled since independence was voted out. Without doubt, it was the disgust for corruption that led the majority of Malaysians to stand up and vote out the previous administration.”
“It is therefore incumbent upon us to ensure efforts to improve governance and introduce anti-corruption initiatives intended to bring an end to corrupt practices and abuse of power,” he said, stressing, “We should uphold the values of integrity and good governance in our countries and in our organisations.”
“If we want to join the ranks of developed countries, then we need to take corruption seriously. We did not get there by taking shortcuts to success,” the Malaysian premier said.
Mahathir voiced his government’s support for the initiative proposed by the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA) to set up a special fund in support of the many incidents where the champions of fight against corruption had suffered in line of duty, some even got killed.
For his part, Qatar’s Attorney-General and UN Regional Special Advocate for the Prevention of Corruption stressed that the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani has given away this prize and hopes to strengthen this award on an international level through partnership with the United Nations.
“Through this prize, the Amir wishes to send a message to those who fight corruption everywhere in the world that there are those who stand with you, there are those who see your work, there are those who will take your hand to give you an example to follow. You are those who can save your country from falling into the trap of corruption,” he added.
He stressed that the war on corruption can be won only when those fighting believe that it can be won.
“The corrupt cannot fight corruption. Unless you find a leader who believes in the elimination of corruption, you will not win, no matter how hard you fight,” he said.
He pointed that the award is being presented in support of the United Nations, explaining the first award was held in Vienna in 2016 in the presence of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, and the second was held in Geneva at the United Nations Headquarters. He added that this year, this award is being held in Kuala Lumpur.
UN Secretary General’s Representative and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Yury Fedotov said that 15 years ago, there was no global instrument to criminalise corruption. Now nearly every country in the world is a party to the UN Convention against Corruption and they cooperate and provide mutual legal assistance to prevent and fight corruption, stressing that the convention “represents the fundamental recognition that corruption is neither an acceptable cost of doing business nor a necessary evil. It is a serious crime, and simply unacceptable”.
He went on saying: “Corruption harms us all. It stifles growth and innovation, and enables many other crimes, from the illicit trafficking of drugs, arms and people to the poaching and pillaging of natural resources and cultural heritage.”
The UNODC Executive Director commended the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani for the International Anti-Corruption Excellence Awards to recognise exceptional efforts made by individuals, groups and organisations around the world.
