The Commission Against Corruption has urged public officials, including politicians, to cooperate with the authorities to weed out corruption rather than say they would not assist the commission in its fight.

"The commission needs the cooperation of everyone... It is, therefore, deplorable that public officials, who often make allegations of corruption, state that they will not cooperate with the commission instead of appealing to the public to cooperate."

The commission issued a statement a day after opposition leader Alfred Sant accused it of failing to take effective steps under Nationalist governments.

Pointing out that his party had no confidence in the commission, Dr Sant said a new Labour government would investigate Nationalist ministers who, he said, were repeatedly committing fouls.

The commission admitted it was "concerned" with events related to corruption, but pointed out that the fight should solely be in the national interest.

Clarifying its role, the commission pointed out that not every abuse or irregularity committed by a public official is considered as an act of corruption where the law was concerned.

The public should be aware that the commission members are bound by secrecy. That is why their work is kept under wraps, it said.

Often, the public is not interested in divulging acts of corruption because they are not suffering any direct damages, the commission said.

It urged government departments and corporations to call for the commission's assistance whenever they became aware of corruption.

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