KUALA LUMPUR, March 15 (Bernama) -- The rate of disposal of corruption cases has achieved 36.3 percent last year, surpassing the target of 30 per cent, the Dewan Rakyat was told on Tuesday.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz attributed the achievement to the target established under the New Key result Areas (NKRA) initiatives.
He said the government did not set a high target as the special corruption courts were still under construction in 2010.
It is one the NKRA initiatives aimed at weeding out corruption under the Government Transformation Plan, he said in a written reply to Lim Kit Siang (DAP-Ipoh Timur).
Nazri said in January last year, the Chief Justice issued a circular to judges, urging them to conduct speedy trials and dispose corruption cases within a year.
He said the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code passed in June 2010 spelt out that the prosecution has to bring a case to trial within 90 days of filing formal charges, including conducting pre-trial case management, and gathering enough witnesses and documents for trial.
He said when presenting the Supply Bill 2010, the prime minister announced the establishment of four special corruption high courts and 14 special corruption sessions courts whose construction was completed at the end of 2010 and started operations simultaneously on Feb 16 last year.
"Approval from the Public Service Department and the Ministry of Finance on staffing and placement of judges, officers and support group was obtained at the same time," he said.
-- BERNAMA