JPA Daily Buzz - Edisi 8 2026

page 3 Importantly, integrity, corruption, and governance are not isolated concepts. They are deeply interconnected. Integrity provides the moral compass. Governance offers the framework that supports ethical conduct. Corruption, conversely, is the force that corrodes both. An organisation with strong integrity but weak governance remains vulnerable. One with robust governance but compromised integrity risks manipulation. Only when integrity and governance function together can an organisation truly earn and sustain trust. In the corporate world, reputation is an asset. In the public service, reputation is a mandate . Public institutions cannot rely on temporary confidence or carefully managed perceptions. Trust must be continuously reinforced through consistency. Public do not judge public service by slogans or statements of intent. They judge it by lived experience, how services are delivered, how decisions are made, how issues are addressed, and how responsibility is upheld. Efforts to strengthen integrity and combat corruption, therefore, cannot be treated as isolated campaigns. They must be embedded as organisational culture. Culture is shaped not merely by policies, but by example, clarity, and systems that leave little room for compromise. Every member of the public service, regardless of role or rank, contributes to this ecosystem of trust. Whether at the frontline, in technical functions, or in leadership positions, the principle remains constant: public service is a custodianship of public confidence. Ultimately, integrity can be summarised in a single, powerful statement: do work that you can confidently account for . If every decision can be explained calmly, every process defended transparently, and every action taken without hesitation, then the organisation is on the right path. In the public service, that path is not solely about procedural compliance; it is about honouring the trust placed by the people. The public service is more than an institution that delivers outcomes. It is an institution that must be respected. That respect is built, decision by decision and action by action, every single day. Dr. Diyana Hassim Head of Corporate Communications Public Service Department