DBKK to ensure urban governance is free from corruption

12 March 2025

KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK) will ensure that every aspect of urban governance is free from corruption, abuse of power, and misconduct, in line with the government's efforts to enhance the effectiveness of public service delivery.

The Mayor of Kota Kinabalu, Datuk Seri Dr Sabin Samitah, stated that this effort will ensure that every procedure and policy implemented by DBKK adheres to the principles of accountability and transparency.

“DBKK will also strengthen its anti-corruption initiatives in urban administration by emphasising three main pillars: reinforcing prevention and enforcement mechanisms through regular audits, monitoring governance systems, and establishing a more effective reporting system to identify and close off vulnerabilities that may be exploited,” he said during his opening speech at the signing ceremony of the Cooperation Agreement between the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu, held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC) here on Tuesday.

At the event, the MACC was represented by its Director in Sabah, Datuk Karunanithy Y. Subbiah, while DBKK was represented by Sabin, with the presence of the Chief Commissioner of the MACC, Tan Sri Azam Baki.

He mentioned that as a sign of DBKK's commitment to ensuring the effectiveness of this Cooperation Agreement, several key initiatives will be implemented in phases.

These include the provision of information related to misconduct cases to the MACC, ensuring that quicker and more effective actions can be taken according to established procedures.

Sabin added that DBKK will also introduce an internal online complaint system, enabling DBKK staff to report integrity issues in a more secure, transparent, and confidential manner.

Additionally, DBKK and the MACC will establish a strategic partnership in monitoring governance to ensure that all management practices and policy implementations meet the highest standards of transparency and accountability.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister and Minister Responsible for DBKK, Datuk Abidin Madingkir, stated that the signing of this Cooperation Agreement is not merely a symbolic act, but a declaration that the state government will not compromise on matters related to integrity and transparency.

He remarked that Kota Kinabalu, as the main administrative and economic centre of Sabah, should serve as a model for all other cities in practising the best governance.