The buzzword these days is anti-corruption, taking the cue from our new prime minister, who seems intent on tackling it head-on. As explained by Yoon Szu-Mae in a malaysiakini article , our systems are failing because of lack of political will, legislature, weak enforcement and absence of public outrage. I could disagree with that, but I would like to focus on the latter.

Just last week, over dinner with my relative who is a fledgling contractor in transition from professional to business, I was shocked to hear from him about the rampant corruption that exists in the banking sector. Being a professional and not having to depend on business loans, this subject has never crossed my path.

My relative is struggling and learning along the way that he has not only got to grease the bureaucracy but also the palms of the bankers who asked a certain percentage of the loan proceeds in exchange for approvals of his business loan. These people could be credit officers upwards. It is outrageous for loan officers to ask for RM1,000 for writing a favourable loan report.

I have always held banking to be a noble profession, and still do, but I am outraged by the level of avarice that is said to creep up nowadays. If you need further convincing about my allegations, just phone up any loan broker in the newspaper or yellow pages and ask them indiscreetly which banks offer business loans 'with assistance", you will be able to debunk or substantiate my claims.

These brokers are also a part of the chain as they seeking a big cut for getting the loan approved. If they help to add value, fair enough but if just to facilitate, the value is questionable.

As members of the public, we should, and can be, more civic-minded. Blow the whistle on those corrupt bank officers by writing to the bank's chief executive officer if reporting to the Anti-Corruption Agency fails to redress the problems.

We owe it to ourselves to help eradicate the problem in our country. If corruption was to increase in its pervasiveness and intensity, it will not be too long before we have incidents like that in the Manila airport on Sunday, where the ex-controller has lost his life in his attempt to raise the issue of corruption with the Gloria Arroyo administration.

Finally, while there are banks with corrupt bank officials, it is also heartening to know there are still many other banks where integrity is honoured and corruption is not tolerated. I would like those business people whose lives have been made difficult because of corruption to speak out, but I am afraid self-interest may prevent that. It takes two hands to clap.