The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is intensifying its collaborative efforts with Transparency International (TI) to advance anti-corruption and governance initiatives at home and abroad. The deepened partnership was highlighted during a visit by TI chair François Valerian to MACC's Putrajaya headquarters, where he met with deputy chief commissioner (Prevention) Datuk Azmi Kamaruzaman.

Datuk Azmi underscored MACC's dedication to expanding existing partnerships and identifying fresh avenues for joint action that would bolster Malaysia's integrity ecosystem. He emphasised that the commission remains focused on promoting transparency, good governance and anti-corruption work across multiple sectors and levels of government.

Malaysia's anti-corruption performance has shown marked improvement, with the country's Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) score climbing from 50 to 52 points in 2025. This advancement saw Malaysia ascend three positions in the global CPI rankings, moving from 57th to 54th place. The MACC's National Governance Planning Division serves as the lead secretariat for the CPI Special Task Force, coordinating with six dedicated focus groups across government ministries, agencies, universities, businesses and civil society groups to analyse factors influencing Malaysia's corruption ratings.

Valerian stressed that enhancing CPI outcomes requires both robust preventive strategies and rigorous enforcement action. He noted that TI is keen to collaborate with anti-corruption bodies worldwide to help improve national performance on the index. However, he cautioned that anti-corruption agencies must operate with sufficient budgets, capable personnel and freedom from political pressure to perform their duties effectively.

Malaysia has set an ambitious target of ranking within the world's top 25 nations in the CPI standings by 2030. Valerian backed this aspiration, signalling TI's support for the country's integrity-focused roadmap.