I refer to the Malaysiakini report EGM: One hour to pass 41 amendments .

Will Malaysia be a land flowing with milk and honey sans corruption now that Umno has passed the amendments to the party's constitution which are part of efforts to transform Umno? Can Umno and BN gain mileage and if they do, will it spell the end of Pakatan Rakyat?

Or are these mere foolish dreams by Umno that will only bewitch, beguile and bewilder many that they may remain blind to reality? Firstly, corruption is, in its simplest terms, the abuse of power most often for personal gain or for the benefit of a group to which one owes allegiance.

This act of deceit can be motivated by greed either of one, a few or many, by the desire to retain or increase one’s power, or, perversely idealistic enough, by the ludicrous justification that it is done for a supposed greater good.

Commonly, the layman may confine such acts to politicians or civil servants in that they think of it in terms of abuse of public power found in virtually every sphere of life. Basically, most know and understand the insidious nature of corruption but the main problem is that different people see it differently.

Malaysians have taken umbrage to the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) scandal and many other issues. This may sound simplistic - I believe that if the amendments are passed to weed out corruption in Malaysia, it will be a step forward for Malaysia if they bear fruit and the government practise what it preaches.

The rakyat will enjoy the benefits of transparency, integrity, accountability, honesty and other moral values in economic and social terms. But is it so easy to put to death corruption, corrupt politics in any sphere of life and most importantly, the culture of corruption?

Many take umbrage to corruption but we need to look at it at a microscopic level in order to understand why it is so important to lobby so that the government can take the necessary steps to obliterate this terrible disease. Socially and economically, corruption poses a serious development challenge.

Politically, it undermines democracy and good governance by flouting or even subverting formal processes. Where elections are concerned, corruption in elections and in legislative bodies reduces accountability and distorts representation in policy-making; corruption in the judiciary compromises the rule of law; and corruption in public administration results in the inefficient provision of services. Ultimately, corruption undermines the legitimacy of any government and democratic values as trust and tolerance.

Economically, corruption retards development by generating considerable distortions and inefficiency - eg, increases the cost of business through the price of illicit payments themselves, the management cost of negotiating with officials, and the risk of breached agreements or detection.

Without sounding corrupt myself, I must acknowledge that some quarters argue that corruption reduces costs by cutting red tape or even inducing officials to contrive new rules and delays. Where business is concerned, corruption distorts reality by protecting firms with connections from competition and thereby sustaining inefficient firms. And who pays the price for all this? Citizens via taxes!

Worse still, if corruption exists, economic distortions in the public sector could occur if public investment are diverted into capital projects where bribes and kickbacks are more plentiful. Officials may increase the technical complexity of public sector projects to conceal or pave way for such dealings, thus further distorting investment.

Corruption also lowers compliance with construction, environmental, or other regulations, reduces the quality of government services and infrastructure, and increases budgetary pressures on government. Remember the Sichuan earthquake in China where so many innocent children perished due to poor building standards stemming from corrupt practices?

So what is the point that I am trying to make? Simple.

Steps to weed out corruption in Umno via the amendments must be applauded but this is only within one organisation. If the leaders are serious about moving Malaysia forward, more must be done to weed out corruption at every level in every state without fear or favour and at turbo speed, instead of the current laid-back speed. So, will such a move restore or strengthen people's confidence in the current regime?

Only if they are serious, sincere and single-hearted in that mission to stamp out corruption in every form, every place and of any magnitude. Otherwise, one may look at such manoeuvres as feeble attempts to gain lost ground from the opposition. In fact, both the status quo and the opposition must play their roles in dealing with this vilest form of 'contamination' before the cancer spreads to the young.

Leaders must put to death the culture of corruption and take a very committed look to understand and to deal with the politics of corruption - if not, we may witness the corruption of politics. At the same time, citizens must play their roles to be courageous whistle-blowers or to participate in watchdog organisations and submit practical steps or evidence to deal with the problem.

So, it is a mission not just for Umno, not just for the opposition - but a mission for everyone in Malaysia. The question that remains is, are we ready to do all that or is it all talk and no action or window dressing or cosmetic surgery to make things look better than what they are?

Only God knows. May God bless Malaysia as we traverse far and near on this nation-building journey.