EAIC chairman Ismail Bakar noted that such acts, including contributions of money, gold or gifts to higher-ranking officials that were traditionally seen as gestures of respect and appreciation, remained prevalent today.
He gave the hosting of extravagant dinners to welcome guests visiting field projects as an example of such activity.
He told Bernama such practices should be made transparent, reduced or preferably, stopped altogether.
Ismail said there had been complaints about staff being asked to prepare “elaborate” programmes to welcome their “guests”, including hosting dinners and organising golf outings.
“If there is no allocation, you have to seek sponsorship,” he said. “At times when this is difficult, you might have to resort to informal activities to contribute because the ‘boss’ is coming over and you need to prepare dinner and a gift.”
While such field trips were beneficial, he said, “overly celebrating department heads at the expense of other officers” was unnecessary and counterproductive.
“The field trip is valuable, but excessive celebrations for the benefit of the department head, especially when it is funded by staff with low salaries, leads to a problematic culture,” he said.
He also expressed concern over the burden on staff to prepare donations for farewell parties or weddings involving superiors, “which often results in staff seeking donations from external sources which have dealings with the departments”.
“The boss hosts a feast and invites everyone, but if this happens too frequently, it becomes a burden. When costs are insufficient, staff are asked to raise funds, or those with authority are requested to provide the venue, tables and meals.
“We should have progressed beyond these practices by 2024. Sometimes inappropriate gifts are given, which can lead to integrity violations if not addressed seriously,” he said.
He urged civil servants to adhere to the “No Gift Policy” and be cautious, particularly among department heads, about whether a gift might compromise their ability to enforce departmental rules.
“We already have a ‘No Gift Policy’, it just needs to be implemented. Avoiding practices that can lead to slander is crucial if you are committed to maintaining a high level of integrity,” he said.