The Tamesis
January 30, 2026
Petaling Jaya – Tan Sri Lee Lam Tai said the Prime Minister’s week-long ultimatum to law enforcement officers marked a major escalation in Malaysia’s anti-corruption drive.
Lee, a member of the Institute of Integrity Malaysia, said the message from Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim marked a shift from “policy development” to “personal accountability” by the country’s top law enforcement leaders.
Previously, the Star reported on Wednesday (January 28) that the Prime Minister had issued a stern warning to law enforcement officials, giving them one week to fully combat corruption and smuggling.
Anwar also said that officers who are unwilling to accept the challenge can ask for demotion. He stressed that it was unacceptable for senior civil servants to continue to condone smuggling, bribery and gangsterism.
He also stressed that all relevant law enforcement agencies and departments must work together to ensure that the country’s borders are free from any form of smuggling activities.
“By giving agency heads a full seven days to ‘act or step down’, the Prime Minister has effectively removed complacency and reintroduced accountability,” Lee said in a statement on Thursday (Jan 29).
“He publicly stated that if illegal activities such as smuggling continue, it is not just because of “systemic failure” but because of the consent or negligence of those responsible.
“His specific reference to the ‘star on the shoulder’ is a direct challenge to the prestige of senior officials in the police, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Customs, Immigration and other agencies, reminding them that their titles carry moral and legal obligations.
“This ultimatum comes after several major scandals in January 2026,” Lee said.
He pointed out that just hours before Anwar spoke, the MACC arrested five directors and business owners over a tender for a crony company at the Lumut Naval Base.
“A senior officer of the Malaysian Armed Forces was recently remanded in custody in connection with a RM150,000 corruption investigation,” he added.
“The persistence of these cases shows that ‘mid and senior’ law enforcement levels are not yet fully aligned with the Government’s objectives,” he stressed.
Lee noted that the ultimatum indicated the need for forced resignations or a reshuffle of the top leadership if results did not improve immediately.
“It will be important to see if any department heads actually take the option of ‘stepping aside’.
“Historically, senior Malaysian officials rarely resign voluntarily due to performance,” Lee said.
