In a statement, MACC said it would review the findings of the annual CPI, in which Malaysia fell five spots from last year’s ranking, and propose recommendations.

“We ask for the people’s continued cooperation to help us curb corruption,” the commission said in a statement.

The country has seen a continued decline since being ranked 51 in 2019 under the Pakatan Harapan administration. In 2020, Malaysia dropped six places to 57.

TI-Malaysia (TI-M) president Muhammad Mohan said the score was “deeply worrying”.

He said the drop was significant as Malaysia’s position had been falling for the last two years, indicating that the country was heading in the wrong direction as far as fighting corruption, supporting human rights and democracy were concerned.

Malaysia now ranks behind Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar in the corruption perceptions index. Singapore is the only Southeast Asian country to make it to the top 10, ranking fifth in the world.