MALAYSIA is ranked 54 on Transparency International’s 2015 corruption impression index (CPI).
The 2016 CPI will be announced soon and with our anti-corruption agency being active throughout the year, I, for one, am looking forward with alacrity to have a look at Malaysia’s report card.
The Anti-Corruption Commission has revealed that between 2003 and 2013, a total of 5,799 suspected corruption cases were identified, of which 54 per cent involved young people.
Besides, out of the 1,015 people under investigation from 2013 to October 2016, 95.7 per cent were under the age of 40.
This shows corruption is widespread among the younger generation.
Malaysia has been independent for 60 years. Our diverse ethnic groups have been living together and supporting each other in harmony so that the country could develop smoothly.
Our young grew up in an environment where the quality of life has greatly improved. Unlike their thriftier forebears, they know how to enjoy life and are paying much greater attention to materialistic acquisition and satisfaction.
Some young people know little about financial management. This inadequacy is compounded by their lack of self-control.
Even without a high income, this group have the propensity to spend beyond their means. They are clothes-horses with a taste for fine dining and the high life – nary a care about tomorrow.
Perhaps, this is one of the reasons the average age of corruption groups has gotten younger and younger.
Young people who have just joined the workforce receive relatively low income but having been exposed to the good things in life at an early age, it is no surprise they are predisposed to urge of earning extra cash through illegal means, if necessary, to support their expensive tastes.
Their priority for money and materialistic things takes precedent over the virtues of honesty and integrity, inevitably leading to increased prevalence of corruption among their age group.
According to a study, conducted by the Prime Minister’s Department in 2012, some college students believed bribery is not a detrimental act. What is worrisome, in consequence, is that the young in our country might commit acts of corruption without any feeling of guilt.
The Anti-corruption Commission should be commended for joining hands with the Education Ministry to include anti-corruption education in primary six textbooks to instill in young children knowledge about the evils of corruption.
Indeed, the government must step up education in schools against corruption to teach the young correct ethical concepts.
In this way, there is still hope corruption can be effectively tackled over the long term.
It must be understood that corruption, besides irreparably tainting a person’s character, is also a sapping social scourge that not only has a negative impact on a country’s development but can destroy its future as well. The people must do their part to eradicate corruption if Malaysia is to become a high-income nation.
Failure to do so will be detrimental to our country. And this will bring suffering and misery for generations to come. (From Oriental Daily)