Former chief justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat has urged the corporate sector to prioritise good governance over profit or prestige for sustainable success and integrity.
Speaking at the 66th anniversary of the Malaysian Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (MAICSA), she said good governance provides the structure and accountability needed to ensure ethical conduct, efficient operations, and sustainable growth.
“While growth, profit and prestige may indicate success in the short-term, only good governance can ensure an organisation’s long-term sustainability and resilience,” she said in her keynote address.
Drawing from her years in the judiciary, Tengku Maimun also said the principles of good governance are not confined to corporations, but underpin a just and equitable society.
“It is the lifeblood of justice, integrity and sustainability,” she said.
She praised governance professionals for playing a vital role in upholding ethics within companies.
“In many ways, governance professionals are the conscience of an organisation, the quiet voice that advises restraint when others push the boundaries,” she said.
Tengku Maimun also reminded companies that transparent record-keeping is central to accountability and legal integrity.
“Records that are clear establish the history of accountability, while corrupted, missing, incomplete or falsified records are typical signs of the underlying failures that led to wrongdoing,” she said.
