LETTER | To some extent, Malaysian society is still very feudalistic. We look up to people with position, power and money and we listen to them more. Since they have “made it”, we assume they must be more credible and capable of doing something right.

We do not care much how they became rich and powerful, whether through legitimate means or something else.

The rich will get to advise the government more. People with positions in the government will then formulate policies and dispense programmes as if these tycoons know best.

We assume the rich and the powerful have acted in good faith for the good of the society in general. But do they?

If we care to look at events unfolding in recent time, many of the rich and powerful people have not really acted in the best interest of the society and the nation.

We held them in high esteem but they have essentially engaged in collusion and scheming. They bribed public officials and helped to conceal wrongdoing. They advised the government to come up with more devious schemes so that they could make even more money.

We now have a new government in Putrajaya. But is the nexus between the rich people and the powerful people still the same? Can the new administration in power withstand the corrupting onslaught of the rich?

I really wish the new administration will be vigilant. In the past, we have seen successive new administrations gather along a new collection of cronies. It is not difficult to identify “who is in” and “who is out” when premiership changed hand, if one is discerning enough.

Regardless of who is in and who is out, politicians can’t run away from the corrupting influences of big-time businessmen.

There will be new proposals to “rejuvenate”, “revitalise” and “reinvigorate” the economy from business people. But to me, it is better to take all this with a heavy pinch of salt.

Policymakers must work harder and not depending on business people too much for advice. Sometimes it is better for them to double check with NGOs, public interest groups, the academics and trade associations rather than depending on individual businessmen.   

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.