On some days, ordinary Malaysians find themselves unable to do business in the ordinary way. They are compelled to pay incentives to get people to do a salaried duty. On other days, ordinary Malaysians are told extraordinary things about corruption in the high echelons of business and politics, especially where the twain meet. Mind-boggling quantums are quoted authoritatively.
The twists in the financial tales are the stuff of textbooks on the art of trickery. But most of all, it is the fantastic living corrupt men so easily elicit from their conduct which sheds them of ordinariness and strips us of our innocence. That's how corruption begins.
"Our temptation is supported by how we see others do it,". "If it looks easy to give or take a bribe, and others have set precedents, we'll do it. Of course corrupt givers and takers know it's wrong."
The thought of Malaysians comfortable with the concept of being corrupt is frightening, especially since the systems - both in public service and the free market - are actually workable. More alarming than the corruption level is the acceptance level. More and more Malaysians are living with it as though it is a natural part of our mind scape. Contributing to this socio-psychological crisis is the marginal relief from official complaints channels, and even less from the media. At the highest levels, top guns scratch each other's backs and get away with it. At the moment, everyone is giving, everyone is taking, that's how things move.
That false sense of safety in numbers has pushed corruption to what some have described as "the grossest levels." Greed, say social commentators, has overcome many a Malaysian. Malaysian leaders never envisaged the extent corruption could go to. "And it has gone out of control, most dangerously so amongst the Malays in positions of power,". "Unchecked, our top leaders will be held hostage by corruption. Eventually, they won't be able to carry out a single executive task without paying incentives."
"There is a momentum gathering against corruption. Already, some corrupt people have fallen with a mighty bang. Some have been told to leave with their tails between their legs. Just as there seems to be more corruption now, it's also true that more people are getting caught."
Not everyone shares that confidence in the system. Some think it will get worse before it gets better, that's if it gets better.
"There are no inhibitions which means they are not shackled by spiritual values,". "It's the way things are done. What's changed over the years are the personalities and the amounts of money involved. People have become greedier."
It is easy to summarise the entire picture into greed as if it were a single omnipresent god. The realities of life and the sheer cost of living force the hand as well. It is well-known that some Malaysian policemen don't like being posted to the Klang Valley because it is expensive. They prefer small towns where they can maintain the family on their salary. In the city, they know they will eventually "take" because that money pays bills and decides whether or not the family will have a car. Malaysian policemen don't have the freedom to take on a second job, unlike office girls, for instance, who sell Amway for legitimate extra income.
The approach to handling society and its problems is conducive for corruption. The more penalties you impose, the more corruption you encourage. drink-driving laws as an example. "First, we have a short campaign, then we have road blocks,". "Now, drinkers have no respect for that law because, apparently they can buy their way out of the problem. What we should be doing is forcefully educating people continuously on drink-driving and on other matters, especially since we still operate nationwide public TV."
But are Malaysians really that rotten? There's a legend in Malaysian politics about vote-buying. Story goes that workers of a political party were given briefcases of cash to distribute to voters but they never took a cent of it for themselves. A work ethic in the thick of a wholly unethical practice. Was that total devotion to a cause, to political ideology? Or just total blindness to what's right and what's wrong?
The ethnic dimension
Race, is what makes us what we are. The Malays have come under particular scrutiny in recent years. Clearly, says a social commentator, corruption amongst the Malays is tied to power. This is a fundamental aspect of the old feudal structure which is really a psychological study of protection and the protector.
More than that, the sweeping changes which came with the New Economic Policy (NEP) completely changed the socio-economic structure. It thrust Malays into positions of power and wealth as a matter of policy. Several things transpired.
"Many Malays had never seen so much money. When they got their hands on it, they went berserk buying yachts and mansions and fancy cars. Others in power positions solicited 'sweeteners' because it was easy.
Privileged and preference for Bumiputeras. Non-Malays then squeezed their way in with front-men, often offering money up-front. Then came the economic boom. Money oozed out of every nook and cranny. Corruption spiraled as the cake grew bigger and stories began circulating about how some Malays were getting greedier.
This phenomenon is not an ethnic flaw. Before the NEP, there were Malays in power positions. Many are remembered as gentlemen with scruples; their honesty spoken of nostalgically these days. In Tunku Abdul Rahman's, the first prime minister's tenure, there were chief ministers like Abu Bakar Baginda and Dr Mohamad Said Mohamad.
"Their reputations hold them as being among the most honest Malay leaders we've ever had. Their personal and professional integrity is almost legendary. They did not display their religion but were God-fearing. They considered the consequences of their actions and decisions. These people who had seen a little power, so did not go overboard when they were in positions of power themselves."
In the late Tunku's time, there were no real middle class, just administrators, peasants and a growing group of school teachers all morally upright and committed to creating a stable nation. A few noble families were in business and government. Education and development have since leveled that playing field. These days, everyone is in the game, including the riff-raff.
Corruption among the Indians and Chinese is merely a pragmatic way of doing things although there appears to be a much greater opprobrium towards corruption.
30/10/09
"Our temptation is supported by how we see others do it,". "If it looks easy to give or take a bribe, and others have set precedents, we'll do it. Of course corrupt givers and takers know it's wrong."
The thought of Malaysians comfortable with the concept of being corrupt is frightening, especially since the systems - both in public service and the free market - are actually workable. More alarming than the corruption level is the acceptance level. More and more Malaysians are living with it as though it is a natural part of our mind scape. Contributing to this socio-psychological crisis is the marginal relief from official complaints channels, and even less from the media. At the highest levels, top guns scratch each other's backs and get away with it. At the moment, everyone is giving, everyone is taking, that's how things move.
That false sense of safety in numbers has pushed corruption to what some have described as "the grossest levels." Greed, say social commentators, has overcome many a Malaysian. Malaysian leaders never envisaged the extent corruption could go to. "And it has gone out of control, most dangerously so amongst the Malays in positions of power,". "Unchecked, our top leaders will be held hostage by corruption. Eventually, they won't be able to carry out a single executive task without paying incentives."
"There is a momentum gathering against corruption. Already, some corrupt people have fallen with a mighty bang. Some have been told to leave with their tails between their legs. Just as there seems to be more corruption now, it's also true that more people are getting caught."
Not everyone shares that confidence in the system. Some think it will get worse before it gets better, that's if it gets better.
"There are no inhibitions which means they are not shackled by spiritual values,". "It's the way things are done. What's changed over the years are the personalities and the amounts of money involved. People have become greedier."
It is easy to summarise the entire picture into greed as if it were a single omnipresent god. The realities of life and the sheer cost of living force the hand as well. It is well-known that some Malaysian policemen don't like being posted to the Klang Valley because it is expensive. They prefer small towns where they can maintain the family on their salary. In the city, they know they will eventually "take" because that money pays bills and decides whether or not the family will have a car. Malaysian policemen don't have the freedom to take on a second job, unlike office girls, for instance, who sell Amway for legitimate extra income.
The approach to handling society and its problems is conducive for corruption. The more penalties you impose, the more corruption you encourage. drink-driving laws as an example. "First, we have a short campaign, then we have road blocks,". "Now, drinkers have no respect for that law because, apparently they can buy their way out of the problem. What we should be doing is forcefully educating people continuously on drink-driving and on other matters, especially since we still operate nationwide public TV."
But are Malaysians really that rotten? There's a legend in Malaysian politics about vote-buying. Story goes that workers of a political party were given briefcases of cash to distribute to voters but they never took a cent of it for themselves. A work ethic in the thick of a wholly unethical practice. Was that total devotion to a cause, to political ideology? Or just total blindness to what's right and what's wrong?
The ethnic dimension
Race, is what makes us what we are. The Malays have come under particular scrutiny in recent years. Clearly, says a social commentator, corruption amongst the Malays is tied to power. This is a fundamental aspect of the old feudal structure which is really a psychological study of protection and the protector.
More than that, the sweeping changes which came with the New Economic Policy (NEP) completely changed the socio-economic structure. It thrust Malays into positions of power and wealth as a matter of policy. Several things transpired.
"Many Malays had never seen so much money. When they got their hands on it, they went berserk buying yachts and mansions and fancy cars. Others in power positions solicited 'sweeteners' because it was easy.
Privileged and preference for Bumiputeras. Non-Malays then squeezed their way in with front-men, often offering money up-front. Then came the economic boom. Money oozed out of every nook and cranny. Corruption spiraled as the cake grew bigger and stories began circulating about how some Malays were getting greedier.
This phenomenon is not an ethnic flaw. Before the NEP, there were Malays in power positions. Many are remembered as gentlemen with scruples; their honesty spoken of nostalgically these days. In Tunku Abdul Rahman's, the first prime minister's tenure, there were chief ministers like Abu Bakar Baginda and Dr Mohamad Said Mohamad.
"Their reputations hold them as being among the most honest Malay leaders we've ever had. Their personal and professional integrity is almost legendary. They did not display their religion but were God-fearing. They considered the consequences of their actions and decisions. These people who had seen a little power, so did not go overboard when they were in positions of power themselves."
In the late Tunku's time, there were no real middle class, just administrators, peasants and a growing group of school teachers all morally upright and committed to creating a stable nation. A few noble families were in business and government. Education and development have since leveled that playing field. These days, everyone is in the game, including the riff-raff.
Corruption among the Indians and Chinese is merely a pragmatic way of doing things although there appears to be a much greater opprobrium towards corruption.
30/10/09
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