A new crack team of investigators is considered to fight corruption in public organisations. The idea to form a crime-busting unit came out of a two-day conference on "Administrative Corruption", organised by the Ministry of Interior in Abu Dhabi.

The team would work like detectives by gathering intelligence, investigating complaints or reports of corruption and making sure they are properly dealt with in conjunction with the police.

Investigators would work under the guidance of a nationwide blueprint on stepping up security and rooting out cases of administrative malpractice and corruption in public institutions.

A communique said: "The proposed unit would recruit specialised personnel with a continued training programme for investigating various types of corruption while conducting surveillance operations."

Delegates pledged to tackle administrative corruption, which they believe leads to other types of wrongdoing and organised crime. They urged society's elders and movers and shakers to try to instill a moral and ethical code in people, in accordance with the teachings of Islam.

They also called to legislative bodies to enact laws to combat corruption.

The conference was attended by security officers, education representatives, crime investigators and experts and religious scholars.

It was inaugurated by Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Kheili, Assistant Undersecretary for Planning Affairs at the ministry, who told the audience that corruption was a major concern around the world and needed to be rooted out to stop it causing any further damage.

Cleaning up the system
* Plan to set up crack team of investigators to fight corruption in public organisations.

* The decision to form the unit came out during a two-day conference on "Administrative Corruption", organised by the Ministry of Interior in Abu Dhabi.

* The corruption-busting team would work like detectives by gathering intelligence, investigating complaints or reports of corruption and making sure they are properly dealt with in conjunction with the police.

* Investigators would work under the guidance of a nationwide blueprint on stepping up security and rooting out cases of administrative malpractice and corruption in public institutions.

* "The proposed unit would recruit specialised personnel with a continued training programme for investigating various types of corruption while conducting surveillance operations," said a communique.