MALAYSIA'S Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) yesterday hauled eight government officials to court in a massive crackdown on misuse of public funds.

This is the first time the agency has taken concrete action following the annual report issued by the Auditor-General detailing wastage of public funds.

The government's swift action is seen by some as a move to dispel the impression that it is soft on corruption in light of widespread speculation that a general election will be held soon.

It could go some way to addressing growing criticism that Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi's anti-graft drive has lost steam.

In the run-up to the last general election in March 2004, the government hauled many government officials to court for corruption, but it has since taken a step back.

Yesterday, two assistant department heads in the Youth and Sports Ministry were charged in the Kota Baru sessions court with giving false information on the purchase of digital cameras in 2003 for the use of a government youth agency.

Kamaruzaman Md Ali, 38, and Loh Hong Wai, 31, were charged along with two employees of the companies that supplied the cameras. They pleaded not guilty.

No details were provided in court but, according to the Auditor-General's Report 2006 issued last month, the ministry was criticised for paying RM8,254 (S$3,585) for a digital camera that costs RM2,990.

Also, six Welfare Department officials in Pahang and Sabah were charged yesterday with embezzling money allocated for projects.

In Raub in Pahang, a Welfare Department official claimed trial to 22 charges of embezzling the welfare payments of 22 deceased recipients. Sidek ab Rahman, 47, allegedly embezzled RM12,275.

In Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, five Welfare Department officials were charged with embezzling welfare aid to five deceased recipients.

ACA director-general Ahmad Said Hamdan told reporters yesterday that all the accused face up to 20 years in prison.

"The agency's investigation has found that there are weaknesses in the system that provides space for bribery and corruption," he said.

He said the ACA had also recommended disciplinary action against at least five other officials involved in less serious cases, and did not rule out the filing of more charges soon.

The 2006 Auditor-General's Report, tabled in Parliament on Sept 7, is an annual report that highlights misuse of public funds. Previously, it rarely stirred up any controversy.

Among other things, last year's report stated that two helicopters worth RM117.75 million that were bought by the police air wing could not be used as they did not meet specifications.

It also stated that the National Youth Skills Institute bought a RM50 car jack for RM5,700, and paid RM1,146 for a set of technical pens that costs RM160.

Malaysia's anti-graft drive, a platform of Datuk Seri Abdullah's administration, has barely yielded any success.

In June this year, its biggest case involving steel tycoon Eric Chia collapsed when he was acquitted of committing criminal breach of trust involving RM76.4 million.

Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index shows that Malaysia's ranking has been stagnant in the last few years.