Former diplomat Datuk John Tenewi Nuek has warned that the country would end up like Myanmar or Ghana if its leaders continue to abuse their power.alt

Although corruption had existed in the country during his 33 years with the Foreign Ministry, “it is now beyond redemption.”

“These countries have gradually declined economically over the years because their leaders were practising bad politics,”

He said he had been observing the same trends in Malaysia where allegations of corruption and abuse of powers were being hurled against government leaders.

“I have observed that the level of corruption and nepotism has deteriorated, and I think it is beyond redemption so to speak. That is why we have to do something about it,” he said.

“If your politics is bad, your country will decline economically,” said Nuek.

Nuek, who served as Ambassador to Venezeula from 2000 to 2004 before retiring, cited countries such as Myanmar, the Philippines, Nigeria and Ghana as examples.

“Myanmar was doing not bad in the 1950s and 1960s, and it, too, has declined economically,” he said of the Southeast Asian country where he served from 1992 to 1995 and is now being ruled by a military junta.

“The Philippines was the most prosperous and wealthy country in Asia in the 1950s and 1960s, but because its leaders were corrupt and abused their powers to enrich themselves and their cronies, the country is poor now,” he added.

The former under-secretary in the Foreign Ministry in charge of the Americas also said that although Nigeria and Ghana gained independence at the same time as Malaysia, they were now more backward.

Nuek said there was a need for reform in the country’s political system, not only to get rid of the bad politics, but to ensure that all communities were equal partners under the Malaysian sun.

“All communities fought against British rule and therefore there should not be any domestic colonialism now,” he said, adding that narrow-minded politics had no place in a multi-racial and multi-religious society.

“We have to co-exist as equal partners. There should not be groups which are out to dominate the others,” he said, referring to pro-Bumiputera policies which have been in place since the beginning of the New Economic Policy in 1970.

“There is room for everybody in Malaysia, and if we work together very well, we will be able to turn Malaysia into a dynamic and progressive country,” he added.

Nuek said when he was an ambassador, he was proud to tell his foreign counterparts about Malaysia’s achievements although he did not shy away from discussing the level of corruption in the country.

“I have served the Barisan Nasional (BN) government with full conviction and I was very proud of it.

“But, of course, I told my foreign counterparts about the level of corruption and abuse of power in the country.

“I did not try to avoid the issue on corruption in Malaysia. I have to tell the truth,” he said.

On his recent appointment as PKR vice-president in charge of east Malaysia, he said his main priority was to prepare the party for the coming state election in Sarawak.

“I will play a role as we go along,” he said.

He believed that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) would be able to provide an alternative government to BN.

“Alternative parties like PR will provide the checks and balances for BN.”