There has been "too much talking and for too long" in the campaign against graft in high places, lamented a former minister in Sarawak today.

"It is time for Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to give meaning to his crusade against corruption otherwise the rakyat will soon lose faith in his leadership," said Dr Patau Rubis, a former state assistant minister sacked by Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud.

Now that Abdullah - popularly known as Pak Lah - had been confirmed in his post as Umno president, there should be no more excuse not to act against the corrupt ones in the government and the corporate world, said the ex-minister.

Patau added that he was uncertain whether the people who had placed their faith in Pak Lah when he took over as prime minister and promised to wipe out corruption "are not already disappointed with what appears to be much inaction in the fight against graft, except for some recent high-profile cases".

"If we should fail to take strong action, or are not willing to act quickly, I am afraid we will lose control of the situation and I dread to think what will happen to our society in the end," he said.

Patau, who is now leader of Sarawak's opposition State Reform Party (Star), said Pak Lah had to demonstrate that he had the will and determination soon to act against corrupt civil servants and politicians.

'There has been a lot of complaints that the so-called political cost in doing business in this country is not helping in attracting investments as the rampant practice of greasing the palms is seen as making the country increasingly less competitive to invest,' he added.

Buck stops at PM

Referring to the Police Special Commission's report that there was corruption at all levels of the police force, Patau said this did not come as a surprise.

But what was surprising was the prime minister's comment that it was going to be difficult to rid corruption in the police force overnight.

"The buck stops at the PM. He should be more optimistic. The government should do its best to tackle corruption in the police force as it is from the police that much of corruption practices could be stopped," he added.

On the forthcoming Be'kalalan by-election, Patau said he would meet leaders from another opposition pary, Sarawak National Party (Snap), soon to find out how his party could assist Snap in the polls.

Snap has announced that it will be contesting the by-election, which is expected to be a two or three-cornered fight between the rulling Barisan Nasional coalition, Snap and possibly an independent.