MESSAGE RT. HON. DATO' SERI ABDULLAH HAJI AHMAD BADAWI

PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA

Malaysia has been a successful developing country and is forging ahead to become a developed nation in its own mould. In order to be more successful, our nation has to be managed effectively and its weaknesses and shortcomings have to be overcome. A major challenge it has to address in this endeavour is the strengthening of ethics and integrity.

The government has implerented the Prime Minister's Directive No. I of 1998 which aims to ennance the integrity of the management in government administration. This has been done namely through the setting up of the Integrity Management Committee in all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government as well as the State Governments. However, there is no mechanism thus far to involve other sectors, such as the private sector, political parties, non-government organisations, religious groups, the media, women, youth and students in an integrated and coordinated movement to enhance integrity. It is in this regard that the government has formulated the National Integrity Plan (NIP) which will act as a master plan to guide all of the above sectors.

The formulation of the NIP is predicated upon the spirit and principles of the Federal Constitution, the philosophy and principles of the Rukun Negara as well as the aspirations of Vision 2020. The overall objective of the NIP is to fulfill the fourth challenge of Vision 2020, namely, "to establish a fully moral and ethical society whose citizens are strong in religious and spiritual values and imbued with the highest ethical standards."

The NIP is an integrity plan that has evolved from the aspirations of our people and our country. It has been formulated in accordance with our own mould with Malaysians of all ethnic and religious groups as its stakeholders. The plan takes into account the views and suggestions presented at a series of national seminars, involving representatives from almost all sectors of the society. Thus the NIP reflects the hopes and aspirations of both the leadership and the people.

In order to achieve its objectives, the NIP has identified a set of priorities and targets. For the first five years (2004-2008), the NIP has identified five priorities known as Target 2008, which are as follows:

• Effectively reduce corruption, malpractices and abuse of power;
• Increase efficiency of the public delivery system and overcome bureaucratic red tape;
• Enhance corporate governance and business ethics;
• Strengthen the family institution; and
• Improve the quality of life and people's well-being.

In order to achieve Target 2008, the approach and overall strategy of the NIP is to mobilise all sectors of the society to support and uphold the aspirations of the NIP. They also have to cooperate and coordinate their efforts in order to implement its various programmes.

The effort to enhance integrity will involve participation at the grassroots right up to the highest level of the society. The components and sectors involved are: the family, community, civil society (involving NGOs), religion, socio-culture (education, health, sports and recreation, mass media, art, literature and heritage), economy, politics and administration. In this manner, the integrity movement is comprehensive covering all levels or sectors of the government and society. As the approach involves the synergy of institutions 'from below' with those 'from above', it will generate its own dynamism and vitality.

With the launching ofthe NIP, the government is setting up the Integrity Institute of Malaysia (11M) as a mechanism to promote and coordinate the implementation ofthe NIP. The government is confidentthatthe Institute will carry out its duties effectively.

The enhancement of integrity based on the NIP, and coordinated by 11M, is a movement that has increasingly captured the imagination of all Malaysians. It will be a source of strength for Malaysia to effectively manage its success and overcome its weaknesses. The launching of the NIP and the Institute will be a catalyst for the attainment of the objective of enhancing integrity. All these will enable Malaysia to forge ahead towards becoming a developed nation in its own mould, as well as to emerge as a nation of excellence, glory and distinction.