KUALA LUMPUR: The Special Cabinet Committee on National Governance (JKKTN) that met today agreed on a proposal to strengthen the corporate governance of Federal Statutory Bodies (FSB) through amendments to the Act.

The Prime Minister’s Department in a statement today said the amendments would encompass procedures for loans, investment, setting up companies and other matters that will be deemed relevant by the Finance Ministry.

“The government views the issue of weaknesses in the management of important government entities that can result in a loss of public funds, misuse of power and actions that can tarnish the image of the country.

“The Prime Minister therefore, stressed that a lack of good corporate governance that happened in the past in such entities that are important to the government must not happen again,“ according to the statement.

Meanwhile, the statement said the meeting today also heard a presentation from the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) with regard to deaths in custody (lockups) and measures to prevent such incidents.

“The meeting therefore agreed that a special task force be set up by the EAIC to implement crucial recomendations by the committee to prevent custodial deaths and identify preventive measures to strengthen laws governing such aspects.

“This include the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and infrastructure to be scrutinised by the respective governing entities and carried out by enforcement agencies under the respective authorities to ensure the human rights principles are preserved in line with the country’s good governance,“ said the statement.