E-screening of officers

PUTRAJAYA: A FOOL PROOF integrity screening system for the civil service has been introduced to ensure only the deserving rise up the ranks.

This stringent screening process will not stop just at ministries, government departments and agencies.

It is understood that government-linked companies as well as Ministry of Finance (Incorporated) companies are also required to adopt the new electronic integrity screening system (eSTK) introduced by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) recently.

This will require their candidates for chairman, directors, chief executive officers and managing directors to go through a thorough eSTK screening for verification.

MACC chief commissioner Datuk Seri Abu Kassim Mohamed, when asked about the new screeningsystem, said such a mechanism augured well for the ongoing government transformation process.

The system, he said, would ensure that civil servants, including those slated for critical and strategic positions, were thoroughly vetted and were of high integrity.

The New Straits Times learnt that the measure would ensure that those holding such critical positions upheld the integrity of their companies.

There are some 500 GLCs and close to 200 MoF Inc companies.

“The new screening procedure by MACC will be made mandatory to enhance the integrity of these companies,” a source said.

This will also safeguard the government’s interests in these companies.

For the civil service, the eSTK process has been made a prerequisite for anyone considered for a promotion, to be acting in a position prior to assuming the post, optional retirement as well as for awarding of titles.

Civil servants who skip this mandatory process will have  approval for their promotion put on hold.

The screening process will also be for those slated for critical positions in companies, where the government has a stake.

This is to ensure that there is no misrepresentation of their capabilities, either in their academic qualifications, experience or expertise.

Any "red flags" raised via this screening process will be made known to those submitting the names.

 The eSTK screening, for applications submitted online, will take not more than 10 working days. MACC plans to reduce this to three days by 2014.

Last year alone, 141 applications submitted failed the screening done by MACC.

Until August this year, 99 applications got the "Not Recommended" stamp by MACC, based on existing records in its database.

NEW STRAITS TIMES