A joint task force will be set up by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to scrutinise and improve the practices, systems and procedures of the local government body.

"The special task force which will be lead by MACC director of investigations Azam Baki seeks to sew up all avenues and opportunities of non-compliance in the implementation of DBKL projects by looking at causes of existing weaknesses," said the anti-graft body in a statement today.

According to MACC further, the task force will come up with proposals and steps that need to be taken to avert further non-compliance.

The task force formation follows the arrest of city hall officials over alleged abuse of power and graft last month.

Its members will be drawn from DBKL's integrity department, as well as MACC's investigations, and inspection and consultancy divisions.

From the get-go the task force will be looking at five areas involving five DBKL departments in particular:

• Housing project privatisation management,
• Property purchasing guidelines for officers and staff,
• Asset ownership and declaration,
• The People's Housing Project and public quarters,
• Monitoring of property development in Kuala Lumpur.

In relation to this, the task force will be compiling proposed guidelines on how to strengthen DBKL best practices, code of conduct as well as other organisational procedures.

"The MACC hopes that this cooperation will open the door to other agencies to also jointly cooperate with us to curtail abuse of power and embezzlement, at the same time uplifting the conduct of the public sector," concluded the statement.