The evil of corruption reaches into every corner of the world. It lies at the heart of the most urgent problems we face.
– David Cameron, ex-UK prime minister
Almost every prime minister who came into power will surely embrace fighting corruption as a top priority of his new administration.
So it is with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim too. Just over a month as prime minister, Anwar entered the New Year with a pledge that he would be going after those who stole from the nation’s coffers while in office.
Now, that’s music to my ears although I must have heard it countless times from other prime ministers and politicians. Let me say this too – I would not raise my expectation too high in order to avoid disappointment later.
Still, I’ve noted Anwar’s serious tone when he made it clear in no uncertain terms, saying that although such practices were in the past, he was not going to let them (the guilty, corrupt ones) walk free.
The prime minister said the government would ensure the recovery of at least some of the billions of ringgit that were “unloaded” by former leaders.
Sooner or later, we will know whether Anwar is sending out meaningless positive vibes to the people or he is really serious about curbing corruption.
You and I hope and pray that the prime minister means what he says and acts on his declared intentions. This war (a real, earnest one) against corruption is long overdue.
But we all know that saying we want to curb and fight corruption is the easy part. Corruption is a societal scourge that is almost impossible to eradicate, so it has been said. I think there is a lot of truth in that declaration.
It is a fact that no society or country is immune to corruption. Worse, corruption siphons taxpayers’ money away from what is really needed for the progress and development of a nation – that is building schools, hospitals, roads and bridges.
Unfortunately, Malaysians seem to have no qualms about electing the same known corrupt leaders and their associates into office. These are the people who do not care if they are stealing from government coffers meant to benefit the people as long as their selfish interests are served.
Seriously, it’s time we recognise our folly and point the finger at ourselves for being part of the problem. Oh yes, we must concede that we share a large part of the blame for allowing corruption to spiral out of control.
Just look at the 22 years Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was prime minister. He had it so good with his coterie of acolytes who were at his beck and call which included looking after his family’s business interests.
It came as no surprise really when Mahathir and his Parti Pejuang were totally rejected by Malaysians in last November’s elections. What is most significant was that Pejuang’s anti-corruption drive was a key point in the party’s manifesto.
The humiliation and embarrassment suffered by Mahathir and Pejuang was proof that Malaysians had wise up to the ways of the grandmaster and they no longer trusted him or his anti-graft crusade.
Whether Mahathir deserves such a bitter end to his long illustrious political career depends on who you speak to. I don’t think I find much joy in writing about the nonagenarian and his silly, nonsensical political manoeuvres going into his final electoral lap in GE15.
Then, what about another former prime minister – Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak. Mention 1MBD and Najib’s name sticks out, not only like a sore thumb but also like a syphilis-infected genitalia too.
After the 2013 general election, Najib also announced that his government would be focusing on the eradication of corruption.
To show that he meant business, the prime minister appointed a non-politician in the person of Datuk Paul Low, the respected chairman of Transparency International Malaysia as the minister in charge of corruption eradication with a title as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department.
I can recall that when Low was criticised for accepting the position as Najib’s graft-buster, I rose to defend the new minister, appealing for time to allow Low to prove his mettle. I wrote an article in a national news portal to that effect.
That resulted in me being lambasted by readers for siding with Low, whom his critics had described as a man who had lost his principles. Najib’s fading popularity then added to the onslaught against the prime minister and those associated with him, Low included.
Readers were right about Najib. Five years later, in 2018, Najib and the Barisan Nasional government fell like tons of bricks. Now, he is in Kajang Prison and we all know why he is behind bars.
Despite our nasty experiences with Mahathir and Najib, I believe Malaysians want Anwar to succeed in his anti-graft crusade. They have no choice but to trust and have faith that he will deliver.
One thing is clear – the political will to build strong and transparent institutions can turn the tide against corruption.
Anwar needs that political will and he must get his whole cabinet to share it and promote his anti-graft crusade throughout his term as prime minister. Only then will we see some semblance of success.
The views expressed here are those of the columnist and do not necessarily represent the views of New Sarawak Tribune.
