MIC Youth has lauded the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for being independent, open and transparent in investigating corruption.

Its head, Sivarraajh Chandran said this when referring to the developments in recent weeks where MACC had arrested and charged 18 senior and mid-level officers from the Custom Department for alleged corruption.

He, however, said that MACC must work harder to change the perception of the people, which he described as 'not much has happened on the anti-corruption front'.

"People feel that rampant corruption is still a way of life in our country. This is the perception and it must change and the MACC must work harder to change it," Sivarraajh said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday night.

He noted that MACC had shown a good report card with 82% cases investigated and completed within the same year while the conviction rate exceed 80% compared to 54% in 2009.

"We have a long way to go to combat corruption in all its dimensions but for now our MACC has done well within constraints. Syabas to MACC and do better next year," he said.