There is too much graft in this country that we have even lost clarity by all the rationalisation that takes place. It has reached an endemic stage where VIPs can get away with transactions into their bank accounts, defeating even regulatory requirements, and yet remain insulated from legal action.  

Who you are seems to matter with regards prosecution and how the law is applied. Ask immigrant workers and they will tell you that the Malaysian police are allegedly the most corrupt in the world. This may be an exaggeration but it is their experience because even though they come from Bangladesh, India or Myanmar, where corruption is rife, they feel it so badly because they are so often preyed on in Malaysia.

Our air force was apparently asleep when a commercial airliner makes a detour. Our borders are filled with illegal immigrants and this has been going on for some time. Over billions of ringgit worth of vehicles are smuggled across the borders. Our Customs are notorious and our immigration department remains a major source of embarrassment.

In a nutshell we know all this and more while the Audit Report every quarterly gives us the latest edition of how the civil service helps itself as ‘His Majesty’s Service’.

The way elections are financed and the nexus between money and politics bedevils our democracy. This has been going on for years and we now have the opportunity to unveil its workings. The very leaders who speak about integrity are a sham, at best preachers and definitely not practitioner of honesty.  

We now have a prime minister who claims that he has not used the money to benefit himself. The sad reality is that he suffers from serious trust deficit and his lifestyle and goings-on do not help the perception that he is any good.

We have lost the capacity to take a hard look at ourselves. It is always a blame game and out there lie popular reasons - it is foreigners; people trying to topple an elected government; the opposition that is playing this up and that all is well and out economy is great as the rating agency has stated.

It is no longer millions but billions and there are many down the corruption chain who hold this money in off budget agencies. Our past leaders have done it and today’s leaders are following in their stride.

We are so clear about ‘halal’ food but seem blind regarding ‘halal’ money, so clear about dress codes that convey the idea that women tempt others with their dress. The temptation lies in the mind of the beholder and unless you work at this level no amount of focus in the external level is going to make a difference. The change and the jihad must be within you. All these self-righteous approaches do no good for anyone.

Remember Mahathir Mohamad’s crocodile tears about money politics. He was a maestro who was able to indulge in the same and at the same time project himself as a clean politician. We all know of the many scandals under his rule. Najib Abdul Razak unfortunately with his lifestyle, planes and travels raise questions in the minds of many and the perception is negative at best.

Pot calling the kettle black?

In some instances it is as though the pot is calling the kettle black. The rules of the game are such that all is fair provided you are not caught. Mahathir is no better than Najib but our present leaders cannot act the same way when there is sophisticated technology and enough whistleblowers and when you rule without a two thirds majority nor enjoy the popular vote.

Once caught you stand alone and face the consequences. Your only option may be to use the billions you have to work your way out of this crisis for in Malaysia those in power all have a price.

 People are just fed up and so they release information into the public domain. The inspector-general of police (IGP) and the attorney-general (AG) now seem more interested in catching the whistle blowers and not the rich and powerful crooks. They are hell bent on doing so.

What does this say about the regulators and prosecutors in our country? Are they repositories and beneficiaries of the ‘non-halal’ money that is being circulated such that they are unable to even see the wrong that is being committed?

Umno ministers and insiders all know how such funds are utilised and managed. These are powerful people in powerful places who want to protect the interest of those in power. They will go to the extent of discrediting the findings that today lie in the public domain. They would rather catch the whistleblowers than powerful dishonest politicians.

Why do all the ‘transformation’ and the ‘Certified Integrity’ programmes do? At best these raise the level of cynicism among the participants and the citizens. I wonder what law-abiding simple folk in the civil service feel when they read about all that is going on in the country. Many are hit with additional costs and expenses, while those in power are being accused of transferring money in the billions into their own account.

Najib says that he has not benefited but who has so accused him and how are we to know unless additional information is secured? He is not even admitting that fund transfers went into an account under his name. His ‘wishy-washy’ answers are akin to a person who does not want to give a straight answer, and this further raises questions of credibility.

The time has come for good people to stand up and be counted and to say ‘enough is enough’. A resounding clarion call with Bersih and other groups must be on the cards so that we send a very clear message that we have ‘zero tolerance’ for corruption. For too long so much has been stolen from us under the guise of money politics, corruption, stability, now moderation and the belief that the ordinary man can be easily taken for a ride.

It is time we reclaimed our democracy, diversity and a progressive future for our children.