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However you try, graft can't be rationalised
Published:  Dec 11, 2010 8:34 AM
Updated: 6:36 AM

your say 'Is Abdul Taib Mahmud so powerful and above the law that no one can touch him? It is clear as daylight that he is utterly corrupt.'

Nearly half of M'sians feel graft has worsened

Mat Bond: Only half of Malaysians feel that graft has worsened and that is bad. It portrays the perception that corruption is okay and acceptable in this country. More and more of the younger generation will be drawn into this stupid culture, and soon the whole system will collapse.

MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) has to act super fast without fear or favour, and the judiciary must follow suit. But what is more important, is what the rest of the world think about us. We are low in the global corruption index ranking and this will be a problem in attracting foreign investors.

Victor Johan: PM Najib Razak said that the MACC, police and AG's Chambers were independent. "They want to make this issue a political one, and they want to imply that we're not serious, or that we want to cover up, or that we practise selective prosecution, and so on," he said .

We are not stupid, Najib.

RR: We can never eradicate corruption as long as the top leaders are corrupt. It has become a culture of acceptance in the society. How can we have the conscience to tell the poor or the middle-class that corruption is bad when the top leaders or their masters are corrupt.

Corruption can be eliminated only when children beginning from the kindergarden level are inculcated with value/moral education, and these children, if properly brought up, will be the change masters of tomorrow.

Albert: The views on corruption of most Malaysians would be different if the following could be addressed:

1)The MSM (mainstream media) are bowing to the powerful Umno warlords and are not brave enough to use their journalistic professionalism.

2) Malaysians, especially those in the rural areas, do not have the opportunity to read the alternative media, which publish cases of corruption prevalent in the country.

3) The ineffectiveness and inefficiency of the MACC and the AG's Chambers.

Bozo: Transparent International only talks of the corruption index and nothing more. Do they have any solutions to improve on the index and what positive steps are they taking to ensure that the BN government reduce corruption in the country? We do not want to hear figures, but solid action and solution from TI to overcome corruption.

ONG: 9% admitted to have given bribes in the past 12 months. Did the remaining 91% who did not give bribes, was it because they were not solicited, solicited but refused to give bribes, or were never put in a position and therefore had no opportunity to give bribes even if they were prepared to do so?

It is possible that the 9% actually comprised 90% of people with the opportunity and decided to give bribes and the remaining 91% did not give bribes simply because they were not in the position to do so?

From my personal experience, I believe that if a survey is carried out on people with actual experience dealing with government departments involved in procurement, contracts, permits and licensing, then we will have an entirely different set of results. Possibly the majority, and not 9%, would have given bribes.

As pointed out by TI president Paul Low, the 9% figure probably reflected only cases involving petty bribes.

Cala: Why should we be surprised? When the system has been abused over the last few decades of misrule, it shows up at many fronts (Nunn, 2009): education, government operation and governance, public goods provision, property rights guarantee in free economy, investment climate, human capital investment, and the state of economic growth.

Let us peruse them one by one. What is the quality of our education system? What is the level of English? What is the world ranking for its best university? Is the regime democratic? Are provisions of public goods satisfactory (or to the regime, building a 100-storey building matters most)?

Are private properties protected (for clues see the Banting lawyers)? Do we see more FDIs flowing in? Does the regime invest in human capital? If so, why the brain-drain? What is the trend of economic growth compare to other countries in the same class?

When answers to all of the above are less than satisfactory, why should one be surprised over the rise in graft rate?

Alan Goh: Despite all the tangible evidence of commercial properties in United States, Canada and London owned by Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud and his family, MACC has not investigated his ill-gotten wealth.

To a layman like me, I believe that corruption in Malaysia has not shown any improvement but the charges against the fish heads, ex-MCA president and ex-Selangor MB Dr Mohd Khir Toyo, are a good start.

However, the end result will be the same, just like former minister Kasitah Gaddam and former Perwaja Steel chief Eric Chia, both of whom were acquitted.

Armour Man: To those who have ever given bribes, don't complain about the worsening graft in our country. You are part of the disease in the system. Shame on you.

Blind and deaf to Taib's alleged corruption

Confushius: Is Abdul Taib Mahmud so powerful and above the law that no one can touch him? It is clear as daylight that he is utterly corrupt and now we are told it is unfair not to allow him to amass a fortune.

However you try, corruption can never be rationalised.

Meranti Kepong: If BN-Umno politicians, particularly Najib, would pay attention to rampant corruption and graft in Sarawak, Taib Mahmud would have been investigated, imprisoned for life and his assets returned to the people of Sarawak.

I say shame to Najib and Co for turning a blind eye to Taib Mahmud's greed and insatiable appetite to increase his ill-gotten wealth.

Anonymous: When I saw the MACC's advertisement, I laughed because it is so appropriate - they only go after the ‘anai anai' (termites) but not the big fish.


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