The structure has been erected by architects of consummate skill and fidelity; its foundations are solid; its compartments are beautiful as well as useful; its arrangements are full of wisdom and order; and its defenses are impregnable from without. It has been reared from immortality in the work of man may justly aspire to such a title.

It may, nevertheless, perish in an hour by the folly, or corruption or negligence of its only keepers - the people. Republics are created  by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens.

 “They fall, when the wise are banished from public councils, because they dare to be honest and the profligate are rewarded, because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.”

- Dr Sachidanand Siha while presiding at the inaugural session of India’s Constituent Assembly, 9 December 1946.

As Dr Siha pointed out, nations fall when the honest are removed in their positions and the corrupt are rewarded. There are signs that this is happening in our nation and thereby disrupting a functioning National Integrity System (NIS). When that happens, comprehensive reforms are needed to reestablish a sound NIS.

In conjunction with the second  anniversary of the political tsunami of March 8th, a coalition of 100 civil society organisations demanded  that elected representatives who resign from their parties should also step down from their positions as elected representatives. “These undemocratic acts disrupt public life and threaten political stability. Malaysia would be in total chaos and may witness coups if the popular mandate can be ignored and violated at whim,”  their statement said.

Popular uprisings or coups d’état happen when politicians have lost their integrity, are not accountable to their voters and their actions undermine the NIS of a nation.

Unregistered voters

Political parties are important elements of a democratic system. When political parties lose their integrity, citizens will condemn them and distance themselves from political decision making. If citizens abandon political parties, democracy becomes an ambivalent and impotent formality. Perhaps the four  million eligible but unregistered Malaysian voters do not have confidence in political parties.

To create awareness on the need for transparency, truthfulness and ethics in our political and economic leaders, it is imperative for citizens to understand the National Integrity System. Its pillars are:

•    Legislature

•    Executive

•    Judiciary

•    Auditor General

•    MACC (Anti Corruption Agency)

•    Public service

•    Media

•    Civil society

•    Private sector

The pillars are interdependent and may have differing strengths. If one pillar weakens, it will increase the load of one or more of the others. If several pillars weaken, the load may tilt and all the pillars will collapse into chaos.

Even if one institutional pillar has cracks and weaknesses, all other pillars are vulnerable to collapse. For example if the judiciary is not independent and is subject to the influence of the executive, it would be difficult to remove corrupt politicians who may deplete a nation’s resources.

Separation of powers

A healthy democracy requires clear separation of powers and oversight by the various organs of government. Therefore the many pillars of the NIS should be independent. If key persons heading the pillars, such as the judiciary, AG, chief commissioner of the MACC and the chairman of the EC are seen to be appointed by the prime minister, they remain powerless. In such situations, these key persons are seen as not being independent.

The legislature is a core pillar within the NIS. If the legislature does not have scrutiny and oversight over the executive, it will not be able to function effectively. When MPs make racist and sexist remarks and are not hauled up for their statements or when opposition MPs are disregarded, and are unable to generate healthy debates in Parliament, the institutional pillars decay further.

One of the most important freedoms is the freedom of the media, another pillar in the NIS. A free media rides alongside an independent judiciary as one of the pillars that should not be held accountable to politicians.

Both are powerful counter-forces to corruption in public life. The media, whether publicly or privately owned is sustained by the public. The media should there be free of political patronage. The media as a critical pillar in the NIS, must itself be empowered to make careful judgments on its own. In Malaysia, even more ominous is self censorship, where editors and journalists are reluctant to publish stories that might upset politicians and business interests. Self censorship weakens the institutional pillars of integrity.

  Addressing flaws

To achieve sustainable reforms within the NIS, civil society plays a key role in addressing flaws and weaknesses in the area of governance. The promotion of national integrity is crucial to any process of sustainable reform and must include citizen participation.

Public awareness  through civic education is critical to help citizens understand the role of the institutions that make up a NIS. Such awareness enables citizens to have a say in policies that affect their daily lives.  

A strong civil society and a free media are necessary to encourage citizens to participate and exercise their rights in the political and policy arenas without being subject to pressure and influence.

Citizens, can strengthen the pillars of integrity and halt its progressive decay by demanding greater accountability from the various institutional pillars.

Citizens are beneficiaries of reforms. Citizens therefore should not remain passive recipients of reforms. They should be active advocates for reforms and protect the process of reforms.

The time has come for us to rediscover our passion for truth, liberty and justice to sustain the integrity of the NIS. Let us rise from the debris of the  political tsunami of March 8.

JOSIE M FERNANDEZ is currently an Asian Public Intellectual Fellow, director of Philanthropy Asia, researcher and engages with Transparency International Malaysia in anti-corruption measures. An educationist, Josie moved on to citizen's advocacy as founder president of ERA Consumers and regional director (Asia Pacific) for Consumers International. She holds a masters degree in development management from the Asian Institute of Management, Philippines. Working on sustainability, philanthropy and anti-corruption actions are some of her current passions besides writing.