MP SPEAKS The hot topic among Malaysians throughout the country, regardless of their race, age and gender, is still Psy and his global hit ‘Oppa Gangnam Style', especially the reported cost of RM3 million to bring the South Korean superstar to Penang.

This is to ensure a turnout of 60,000 people for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's Chinese New Year open house on Feb 11, the second day of the new year.

Let all Malaysians have a great day and enjoy themselves with Psy.

In fact, why only aim at 60,000 people and not go for 100,000 people or even 250,000 people from all over Malaysia and the neighbouring countries as well to make the sensational event really historic and memorable?

It will be really historic if Psy's premier appearance in Malaysia can also inspire Malaysians to emulate South Korea, pull the country from its bootstraps and undertake a genuine national transformation in governance, politics, economics, education and nation-building.

azlan This is to enable Malaysia to take a quantum leap in all aspects of national life in the second Merdeka of Malaysia.

Let Psy's visit to Malaysia mark the beginning of national debates and soul-searching as to how South Korea, poorer and more backward than Malaysia more than 50 years ago when we achieved Merdeka, succeeded in catapulting itself into an economic powerhouse.

It is now much wealthier than Malaysia, with a per capita income two to three times higher than Malaysia, and more advanced than Malaysia in all fields of human endeavour.

This 18-year series of Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perception Indexes (CPI, above left )) provides the answer. It must be noted here that from 1995 to 2011, a scale of 10 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt) was used, and this scale has since 2012 been revised to 0 to 100.

The 18-year annual TI CPI series 1995-2012 show:

  • For the first 11 years from 1995-2005, Malaysia was ahead of South Korea in being perceived as more clean and less corrupt, even reaching a difference of 18 rankings in 1999, representing a difference in score of 1.30.
  • South Korea beat Malaysia in 2006, with a ranking of 42, compared with Malaysia's 44th ranking. After a draw in 2007 with both ranked in 43rd placing with a 5.1 score, South Korea never looked back, getting better rankings and scores from 2008 to 2012, even beating Malaysia with a return difference of 18 places in 2011.
  • Malaysia's TI CPI ranking and score in the past four years (2009 to 2012), which are the years under the premiership of Najib, are the worst in the past 18 years; while South Korea's ranking and score for the past four years are among the country's best in the series.

The lesson is clear. In the past 18 years, and particularly in the last four years, South Korea's governance in transparency and accountability have been successful in restoring public trust by turning back the tide of corruption, while the reverse is the case in Malaysia.

This is one lesson Malaysia must learn from South Korea. Are Malaysians prepared to do so?

LIM KIT SIANG is DAP parliamentary leader and MP for Ipoh Timor.