Monday, February 20, 2006

Corruption cause of many woes

To borrow Roberta Flack's line, "killing me softly with his song", the politicians, civil servants and those in authority are "killing this country softly" with corruption. Platitudes and promises aside, it is no joke that the level of systemic corruption in our country has gone from bad to worse. Leaders can choose to ignore it and close an eye to this, but the truth is everywhere we turn we see the destruction and trace of corruption. Services and infra structure is breaking down and left unmaintained, busses and trucks are spewing out smoke and the haze is there every year. I returned to KLIA after visitng Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzen and Singapore airports and noted the vast difference in its apperance although most of this airports were built around the same time. Our arrival hall is dark, dingy and stuffy. Road accidents due to undeserving drivers who get kopi "O" lisence and trucks with balding tires are aplenty. How, you say is this all due to corruption?

When tenders are bypassed. When a phone call is made to influence a decision when under table money is passed to decision makers; the most proficient and efficient contractor is side stepped for the one with the better offerings or contact. This is how we get hospitals with fungus, bridges deemed unsafe, roads not made to spec, parks turned into housing developments and trees feld without permission. This is why we have increasing health cost, toll plazas from "money losing companies", degenerating green lung, haze, pollution, cancer, sickness. All because of corruption.

The PMs National Integrity Plan , a breath of fresh air is now a mere mirage. Integrity is who you are when no one is looking. Malaysians need to know the effects of what they do. China was abound in local municipal corruption. In the last year, they have cracked down on many and I hear a local mayor near Shanghai was shot by firing squad for taking government funds. Things are changing and all of suddeen there is law an order. There is still a long way to go for China but the important thing is there is a crackdown and an intolerance to corruption. Maybe we won't shoot our corrupt leaders and civil servants but lets do the minimum by exposing them and weeding them out of their positions. Enough of mere talk!

4 comments:

CHEAH WENG SUN said...

Didn't the big man say corruption is everywhere in the world. Only difference is magnitude ?

Anonymous said...

I guess whereever there is man...there will be corruption, since the tendency of manis toward evil or corruption when left alone. The founding fathers of America, being Christians understood that...hence the constitution of USA calls for seperation of powers and proper checks and balance in government.

Anonymous said...

That's where ISLAM comes in. You might laugh at me becoz most of the leaders in Malaysia are Muslim but they are still live with corruption. Ask leaders from PAS that can uphold the power in Kelantan till today, how can they win the Chinese community (esp the tychoons) by not asking bribe while dealing with them. This is becoz they believe in God (i.e ALLAH), will always watching us and they will be answerable of what their doing, in the world after.

Meng said...

thanks ian 4 your entry - didnt think anyone wud still visit. Generally when there is true consience and fear of God, people will walk uprightly. I think it was George Washington who said that democracy will not work if there is no fear of God!

Religion therefore cannot be forced or pressured (as is the case of Malaysian Islam) It has to come from the heart where one is trully in love with his maker and fears Him.