THE Association for Welfare Community and Dialogue (Acid) condemns the latest statement by Pas president Hadi Awang who accused non-Muslims and non-Bumiputeras of making up the bulk of what he called the “roots of corruption” and “those who chase illicit gains” to the detriment of the country’s economy and politics.

Being a leader of a religious political party, Hadi seems to take the parts rather than the whole in addressing corruption.

This dilemma of exclusivity in religious ideology tends to see the world from a black and white perspective instead of understanding it as a complex whole.

The issues surrounding corruption are deeply moral and systemic, irrespective of one’s ethnicity and religion. One could find corruption in various forms, such as bribery and using one’s position to advance with materialistic gain which is the practice of the corrupt all over the world and is supported by a system of governance that is vulnerable to illegal activities without proper checks and balances that allow for manipulation.

In the Malaysian context of governance, corruption is built on a patronage system that rewards supporters and crony businessman who are close to the elites in power. It sustains itself with an ethno-religious ideology that is regarded as supreme over the moral values of right and wrong.

One wonders whether Hadi Awang realises that the racist approach he is taking on corruption could be detrimental in eradicating corruption in the country, since he is telling his followers and the Malay community at large that non-Muslims are to be blamed for the ills of corruption in the country, when in fact mainstream levels of power are helmed by Malay-Muslim politicians who have all the critical decision-making powers in their hands.

Therefore, the Association for Welfare Community and Dialogue (Acid) urges Malaysian political elites and concerned citizens to view corruption as a moral and systemic issue of governance that needs to be eradicated with the strong support and solidarity of multi-ethnic and religious citizens of Malaysia. – August 21, 2022.

Ronald Benjamin 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.