My faith in the system, in the checks and balances that still exist in the government and in the institutions of governance in the nation have been seriously shaken. Where do we witness leadership for what is right? For the attorney-general (AG) to clear the prime minister after the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had raised serious concerns remains a travesty against justice.

This begs us to re-examine the state of the nation, its institutions and the leadership. Where have we reached as a nation and how can we continue to articulate issues relating to integrity, governance, transparency and ethics. Even if charges were filed they would have to be proved beyond reasonable doubt. Selective justice when you compare what Anwar Ibrahim has been through.

We are all versed with the issues relating to 1MDB, the sovereign wealth fund. The very fact that the prime minister and finance minister is also the adviser to 1MDB reveals a clear conflict of interest. This in itself is unacceptable. It is time we delineate the powers of the PM from that of the finance minister.

It is not space science for us not to see the hands of the prime minister in the manner in which he intervened with the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) when he got four members elevated to the executive by becoming members of his cabinet. In immediately removing the then-AG for health-related reasons and fast-tracking his retirement. The former AG is now practising in the private sector and looks to be in good shape.

Then appointing a one-time a party member of Umno and a former judge as the new AG and his undying loyalty to the PM seems to have secured his clearance. After all the PM believes that loyalty is more important than intelligence. The perception of compromise colours this decision. Surely this raises several concerns in the eyes of the public and enhances the trust deficit. Nothing seems to be beyond arm’s length.

Added to this are stories after stories and the latest being that the former king of Saudi Arabia is the so-called ‘enlightened’ donor. Well, he has already passed on and dead kings do not live to tell any tales. The audacity to say that the money was sent for the last general election in 2013 and that a large part of the same has since been refunded is simply astounding. Had this been done by PAS or DAP there would have been outright screams of disloyalty and lack of patriotism.

What are we to believe in this climate of deception, mistrust and conflict of interest all bound together through the assertion of power by the sitting prime minister? If he were honest and candid and had been clear and transparent from the very beginning then many would still have confidence in his leadership. He has condemned himself and sticks on to power by mere authority.

Already his party deputy and another vice-president have been removed from the cabinet and now they are going for the Kedah chief minister. Looks like he is neither too concerned about the integrity of his party and the country and the bottom line seems to be to hang on to power at all costs.

Those who remain with him will be perceived as comrades in crime. There are so few in the present leadership across the entire spectrum of the ruling coalition who show both the spine, conviction and character to stand up and to speak out for what is right. There are many issues which transcend personality, issues of conduct, behaviour and practice that should not be accepted especially from the present leadership.

At the end of the day when all this plays out to a conclusion there will be many whose credibility would be tainted for they refused to remain loyal to the nation and the constitution. Personal and power interests and its fragrance hypnotises them to remain silent or take positions that seem so untenable. They remain looking forward to the benefits that could still accrue to them.

Commitment to the larger good must count

There comes a time in the lives of all of us when our commitment to the larger good must count for some convictions. Right and wrong, good and bad are occurrences all the time and we are called to make choices. In a similar vein there will be moments when we as trustees holding positions of responsibility are called to contribute something of value. It is this failure that is most disheartening.

The context in Malaysia today is presently very negative. The economy is not doing well, corruption has gained greater foothold with our position in the Transparency Index falling by four notches. Our global rankings for what is wrong remain very high. We are now fourth in the amounts of illicit money transactions globally in 2015 and third in global ranking for graft related stories for the same period.

It seems as though people in high places are able to circumvent issues and navigate using their power and positons to ensure that they remain secure. Scandals after scandals from Cowgate to 1MDB, from Mara to Yapeim to mention the latest all illustrate how far we have failed in this regard. We are interested in halal food, dress wear and symbols while the behaviour of many cannot be regarded as halal or acceptable.

In a country where there is a lot of talk about integrity, the National Integrity Plan which is linked to the government’s transformation programme, the setting up of integrity circles, the Corporate Integrity System and the Integrity Pledge, all of which outline good intentions and approaches. Nevertheless whether it is Business Ethics or Integrity Pledges one has to move from mere compliance to modelling the same at work.

Business Ethics is most effective in those companies where it is led by example by the CEO. This is the unfortunate story when it comes to Malaysia. When the PM suffers from a serious trust deficit the work of those involved in the area of ethics and integrity suffers due to the cynicism that arises because leaders do not practice what they preach.

Where is the accountability and transparency, the lack of conflict of interest and the independence within and amongst our various institutions of governance?

We have many great believers who promote their status by seen to be praying, by being in Makkah. If beliefs and prayers alone were to change the price of cheese we would have well achieved this by now. No amount of exhortations and quoting from the Holy Quran can replace the litmus test that comes from one’s conduct and behaviour. This belief practice gap exposes the behaviour and conduct lapses that are so evident today and expose the quality of our present leadership.

The AG is bringing disrepute to his own office because the perception of openness and accountability is deficient. Many have lost trust in an interfering executive that lords itself over what are independent bodies. Laws like the Official Secrets Act, the Printing Presses and Publications Act and the Sedition Act stifle open and candid revelations and we have to resort to international news publications to give us information through the investigative journalism that they undertake.

Whatever the AG may conclude this issue is just not going to blow away. The amounts are in the billions and until people are held responsible and accountable no amount of whitewash with cronies blowing their trumpet will rest the case against the PM. It is indeed a sad day for the nation when people are ready to sacrifice the integrity of the nation only to save their own skins.