Bangkok: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) are committed to combating cross-border corruption by strengthening faster, more proactive and high-impact intelligence cooperation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the move was agreed at the 8th Bilateral Cooperation Meeting held in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sept 10, reflecting both sides' continued commitment to curb corruption linked to smuggling activities.
MACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya, who led the MACC delegation, emphasized that NACC is an important strategic partner in the region, particularly in combating corruption linked to the smuggling of subsidised goods, petrol, diesel, cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, and migrants, allegedly linked to enforcement leakages at the border.
He highlighted that economic activity along the Malaysia-Thailand border is among the highest in ASEAN, creating opportunities for abuse of power and cross-border movement between the two countries. 'From 2021 to 2026, the MACC received 163 reports of alleged corruption linked to smuggling activities along the border between the two countries, particularly in Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan, which border Thailand's Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat and Satun provinces. A total of 33 investigation papers were opened, resulting in 38 arrests, 24 charges in court and 16 convictions,' he said during the meeting.
Ahmad Khusairi noted that the strategic cooperation between the two agencies has proved effective in tracking down witnesses and suspects who had fled to Malaysia or Thailand. Meanwhile, NACC Region 9 Deputy Secretary-General Tawichart Nillakan stated that direct channels for information exchange, based on mutual understanding, allowed faster action than the time-consuming formal procedures under Mutual Legal Assistance.
Beyond intelligence operations, the two agencies have also stepped up anti-corruption awareness campaigns at border entry points, particularly in conjunction with International Anti-Corruption Day on Dec 9. MACC senior directors, as well as state and division directors, were also present.