THE present level of corruption in the country is symptomatic of the levels of moral decay that have poisoned our society. 

It is damaging the vitals of our society today. More than just the material corruption of bribery for personal gain, it is any undue preference given for personal or private gains at the expense of the public or collective interest. This includes the betrayal of a public trust, the distortion of truth, the denial of science to manipulate the public for political ends, and even the misuse of religion to acquire power and wealth.

When the rule of law is not strictly enforced, corruption is allowed to fester. It is generally known and accepted that corruption is destructive, and it is rampant in our country, which is especially bad given that we are going through a public health crisis. It is an indicator of the lack of care and interest in the welfare of our society as individuals consider their private gains at the expense of the public good.

In Malaysia, it is customary for gifts to be sent as a form of gratitude for services received. While this is considered an act of corruption in other countries, in our country, this is a socially-acceptable practice.

The scrambles we see for power on in our country is indicative of a government that is not driven by the desire to serve. If the root of the administration is corrupt, the corruption spreads through the branches to all levels. 

The anti-corruption initiatives that have been implemented so far have not done much to leave a dent on the people’s perception that the government is riddled with corrupt practices. This would explain why the people think that the government’s policies and regulations are not made for the common good.

The people’s confidence in the ruling government has been repeatedly rocked by a series of incompetent, unpopular, and damaging actions by the leadership that our politicians have displayed. 

They have demonstrated themselves to be inept in managing the pandemic, which has resulted in unmitigated economic setbacks and invited a divisive response to the reopening of the economy to those fully vaccinated. 

The pandemic has exposed an ailing society with disturbing pathologies in terms of indiscipline, fraud, and a failure to accept personal accountability for the high levels of corruption. 

The current scramble for power amongst politicians in the same ruling coalition is yet another indication of the weakening social and civic mindedness of leaders and institutions in our society. 

This depreciation along with the increasing sense of individualism and self-centeredness continues to threaten the moral foundations of our society.

Elected officials, which the people had entrusted to carry out their duties, have only acted in a self-serving manner with no consideration for the people’s interests. 

The systems that facilitate corruption today are not new inventions, but instead engineered to benefit those in power, and many times, at the expense of the country’s resources. 

The moral decay had set in well before the pandemic and current political imbroglio. Our moral compass no longer points to true north as the amoral outnumber the moral and lead the way. 

Moral decay has been growing and with each generation it is reinforced. The absence of civic education has no doubt contributed to the current circumstances. 

Let us not forget that those who remained silent in the face of injustice are equally to blame for the decay we see in our society today. Our condonation of acts of corruption reinforces the notion that those who have committed such crimes can go unpunished.

We have fallen into the trap where integrity is no longer central in our society and the result is leaders of poor character who use oppressive tactics to remain in power. 

The rakyat is already living through the consequences of a corrupt government that has gone unchecked for too long – the rise of nepotism and cronyism, the increasing concentration of wealth and power, increasing polarisation in politics, a disregard for the needs and desires of the young and of future generations, as well as a debt-driven economy.

One can only hope that the country learns from its mistakes through this pandemic, and that this nation’s leaders will start acting in the interest of the people instead. 

As Nelson Mandela once said: “Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity”. – August 10, 2021.

*FLK reads The Malaysian Insight.
 

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.