Grand corruption can cripple our economy. Indeed it is already causing the decline of public confidence and widening a growing trust deficit. Unless the deepening corruption and consequent economic inefficiencies are addressed firmly and urgently, the socio-economic and political prospects and our social stability can be seriously endangered.

That is why it is most welcome that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) deputy chief commissioner (operations) Azam Baki has now announced a new MACC focus on high-ranking civil servants and senior officials in sensitive areas of procurement and enforcement in the government-linked companies and the banking sector as well.

But it begs the obvious question as to why does the MACC want to focus only on officials and leave out the top politicians from this new focus?

Politicians, whether from the government or the opposition, could be even more corrupt?

After all they have a shorter career path, that could end at every election every five years? Therefore they are more vulnerable than longer-term career officials, as they could have a higher tendency to make hay while the sun shines?

Hence, the public would rightly expect the MACC to also include politicians in the MACC`s new focus on those who live beyond their means. Otherwise the MACC’s credibility could suffer, as senior public servants and bankers could feel the application of double standards in fighting corruption.

Officials may even sense unfairness in that corrupt politicians could be let off the hook and are even condoned in their nefarious activities. So the officials will ask - why should they be honest when their political leaders can get away with corruption?

So we hope the MACC can clarify soon that politicians are not beyond serious and focused investigation, too?

Cuepacs' support is vital

It is gratifying that Cuepacs has lauded the MACC’s new strategy in its focused war against corruption. Cuepacs members are not generally connected to grand corruption, although some may be involved in minor corruption. But they all have a vital interest in combating corruption, since their lower salaries can be raised, if the government can save more and lose less revenue, through leakages and corruption

However, Cuepacs members can play a vital role in helping government and MACC, to reduce corruption by encouraging more civil servants to become ‘whistleblowers’.

Those civil servants who live lavish lifestyles can easily be identified and even monitored by their junior colleagues and faithfully reported to the MACC. For this special service they should be given more attractive rewards by the MACC for whistleblowing. Some other sectors of government employ this reward system with great benefit, so why not the MACC also do more to reward whistleblowers more handsomely, for better results?

Intelligence-based investigation (IBI)

The employment of more intelligence-based investigation (IBI) is also most encouraging. The public will expect the MACC to catch many more big fish such as the Sabah Water Department and the Sports Ministry officials who allegedly squandered huge sums of public funds, that could well have been allocated to the poor and the hungry in our country.

In this digital economy, it is hoped that the Treasury will allocate more funds to the MACC to purchase more sophisticated digital equipment to persecute and prosecute the corrupt public and private sector officials and politicians - despite the current budgetary squeeze.

The greater use of IBI will enable more successful prosecutions and the recovery of more corrupt funds. IBI could also save potential revenue that is lost every day, due to widespread and growing corruption.

Conclusion

The new strategies of the MACC and the overwhelming support for them from the inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar, Cuepacs and some major Chambers of Commerce, augurs well for the MACC’s new offensive against corruption this year .

However, in the end what matters most is the political will of the government, and the full support of the people to get rid of the corrupt who will otherwise destroy our country and make us a failed state.

We hope that with all these new MACC measures, the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) will show much better results this year?

Let’s resolve therefore to work all together, to make Malaysia a better and more honest country.

RAMON NAVARATNAM is chairperson of Asli/Centre for Public Policy Studies.