Kuala lumpur: Malaysia's improvement in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranking for 2025 is not only the result of policy implementation and institutional reforms, but also driven by a consistent and high-impact strategic communication approach.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chief Secretary to the Government (KSN) Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar emphasized that efforts to strengthen governance and integrity must be supported by proactive, targeted, and continuous public outreach to ensure government reform messages are clearly understood by investors, the international community, and the general public. He highlighted that Malaysia moved up to 54th place out of 182 countries with a score of 52/100, compared to 57th out of 180 countries with a score of 50/100 in 2024.
Shamsul Azri stated that this improvement reflects the government's seriousness and ongoing commitment to strengthening governance, integrity, and the agenda of curbing corruption at the national level. He noted that strategic communication plays a crucial role in shaping positive perceptions, as mentioned in a statement issued by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The Chief Secretary also pointed out the significant role of diverse media platforms, particularly social media, in influencing public opinion. He cited key factors for the improvement, including the active role of the CPI Special Task Force, the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028, amendments to the Audit Act 1957, and various institutional and legal reforms.
The meeting, chaired by Shamsul Azri, also featured a presentation by Transparency International Malaysia president Raymon Ram on Malaysia's CPI 2025 performance and the implementation roadmap for 2026. Shamsul Azri congratulated the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) for improvements in key CPI-related studies.
He also noted declines in the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) and the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law studies, which assess perceptions of corruption and abuse of power in public administration. Shamsul Azri praised various agencies for strengthening communication management and acknowledged the role of MACC media in providing strategic and timely responses.
Also present at the meeting were MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, MACC National Governance Planning Division senior director Datuk Idris Zaharudin, MITI secretary-general Datuk Hairil Yahri Yaacob, and Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Abdul Halim Hamzah.