KUCHING: The Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication Sarawak (MUT) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening integrity, accountability, and good governance through a series of initiatives launched in conjunction with the ministry’s Integrity Day 2025 celebration today.
Permanent Secretary, Datuk Jafri Lias, said the observance of Integrity Day was not only a reminder of ethical values in public administration but also a collective call to uphold transparency and professionalism across every department and agency under the ministry.
“Integrity without action is like a seed without soil; it will never grow. We must cultivate a culture of integrity through consistent effort, governance, and accountability,” he said in his welcoming remarks.
The event, officiated by Minister for Utility and Telecommunication, Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi, included a series of talks and knowledge-sharing sessions focused on ethical leadership and anti-corruption practices.
Among them were a morning session by guest speaker, Mohd Firdaus Ramlan, titled ‘Tumbuk Rusuk: Pengkisahan Dari Tirai Besi’, and an afternoon segment led by officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on how practising integrity enhances workplace performance.
In conjunction with the celebration, Julaihi also witnessed the symbolic signing of the Corruption-Free Pledge (IBR) Handover between the MUT and the MACC, as well as between the ministry and SIRIM QAS International Sdn Bhd.
The day also featured the launch of the Ministry Initiatives Book 2023-2024, titled ‘Catalysing Progress: Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication Sarawak Initiatives 2023 & 2024’, compiling success stories, reforms, and governance improvements implemented over the past two years, following the State Secretary’s call for agencies to document and share their institutional achievements.
Jafri highlighted the ministry’s key anti-corruption and governance efforts, including the Organisational Anti-Corruption Plan (OACP) 2021-2025, which has achieved 100 per cent implementation of its 26 planned initiatives, and the establishment of the Corruption Risk Management (CRM) 2024-2026 framework to identify and mitigate corruption risks.
He also noted that the ministry had received five-star ratings for financial and asset management in both 2023 and 2024 and recorded no cases of non-compliance since 2021, reflecting a strong culture of adherence and discipline among staff.
The ministry has also achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification for 52 procedures and work processes and currently offers 39 online services through the e-Utilities platform, underscoring MUT’s commitment to efficient, transparent, and digitally accessible service delivery.
“Integrity, professionalism, and continuous improvement are not optional; they are the foundation of quality governance,” Jafri said, closing his speech with stories from the life of Caliph Umar Al-Khattab, symbolising honesty and moral courage as enduring models of leadership.
