Pagar makan padi. That is the old Malay proverbial description of corruption. It translates awkwardly into "rice-eating fences", meaning that the fencing erected to protect the rice field turns around and devours the rice instead.

The Malay language is a colourful tongue in its native form, if you can steer clear from the deadened officialised version. In this case, the old proverb portrays beautifully the concept of betrayal of public trust involved by public officials in enriching themselves.

As a human vice, corruption is as old as prostitution, and yet it has probably wrought much more havoc upon human societies than prostitution, because it can be a curse upon the stability and prosperity of nations.