YOURSAY | ‘Please ensure that a RM20 mirror is not ordered and purchased for RM2,000.’

Ex-MACC man proposes ‘message in mirror’ to fight graft

Drngsc: Yayasan Anti-Rasuah Malaysia (YARM) chairperson Zakaria Jaffar, I would like to believe that you are sincere. However, mirrors will not help.

Firstly, we must show that crime does not pay. Anyone caught with corruption, must be made to pay.

How can you convince the junior officers not to be corrupt when he sees his seniors being corrupt and getting away with it?

If corruption pays, why should they stop. We must make sure that corruption does not pay, starting with the rotten big fish head.

Ipoh Pp: At the end of the day, we need honest people with principles to be appointed, not mirrors.

This project will bring in a few million to whoever gets the closed contract. It’s a waste of time. We don't need to be reminded to be truthful and honest.

Slumdog: If mirrors are the weapon to fight corruption, then Malaysia really does have some of the world’s most dim-witted species of humans to walk this earth.

Rku020: If religion and praying a few times a day has not helped, how is a mirror going to help when they are already looking into the mirrors a few times a day?

Why don’t they work on removing the attorney-general’s (AG) powers and empower the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), police and Bank Negara Malaysia?

And establish the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC)?

Abasir: Zakaria, you do realise that the contract to supply and install these ‘messaging’ mirrors, of course with stylised script resembling Jawi in the halls, walkways and washrooms of the ‘sibil servis’ will be valued at around RM100 million, no?

And going by tradition, it will be a closed tender, no? May I guess who is likely to be the sole awardee?

RCZ: As corruption is rife and you need numerous mirrors, please ensure that a RM20 mirror is not ordered and purchased for RM2,000.

Sabahan: Just follow the late Singapore’s former PM Lee Kuan Yew. Zero tolerance for corruption. Sack and prosecute everyone irrespective of rank, race, religion or even close friendship.

But then, we need a totally clean person as PM. Is that even possible in Malaysia with Umno in power?

The Analyser: Sabahan, yeah, let’s do it the Singaporean way, and if that doesn't work you could try the People’s Republic of China way and shoot offenders. Or you could shun your autocratic, discipline-obsessed mentality and approach the problem intelligently.

Does Zakaria really think that a message on a mirror would be sufficient to counter the innate corruptibility of Malaysians?

Their usual reaction - ban the problem. Second line of attack - put up a sign - in this case on the mirror. Malaysia is notorious for having about 40 times more signs than are necessary. The end result is total confusion as sign after sign mask or contradict the previous sign.

To control administrative corruption, the answer is simple. Stick to standard operating procedures (SOPs). There are enough checks and balances already in the system, all that is needed is to honour them.

Secondly, never allow one person to make financial decisions. Restrict decision-making to professionals, not politicians, and have their decisions made in isolation, that's why they are professionals. Collate the decisions by computer so that the total assessment is made anonymously.

The fact that these simple practices are not honoured harks back to the innate causes of corruption. Everyone is potentially corrupt. Admit that, and the problem is half solved.

Vijay47: It may be a bit late for this year, but it should be considered for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Zakaria, your idea of using mirrors to combat corruption would win hands down the gold medal in the Stupidest Proposal Category. Heck, it might even take the silver and bronze also.

You may be interested to know that the usual pairing is "smoke and mirrors". No doubt your inevitable clarification would be that you were joking, misquoted, or taking the same pills as does Najib Abdul Razak.

Berita Harian and Kosmo will have much to praise as you stand on the winners' podium, medal in hand, tears in eyes.

Anonymous #19098644: The fight against corruption and to embed good values must begin from the very top.

Unfortunately in Malaysia, the top dog is also the MO1 who has brought shame, disrepute and disgrace to the nation, the Malays and Islam by committing alleged heinous acts of corruption in the tens of billions.

Justine Gow: I doubt the mirrors will work for people like Malaysian Official 1 (MO1). Even with the international lens focusing on him (or is it her?), he doesn't seem to care.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now.

These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.