Just before I came up to the rostrum, I was reading the Jakarta Post report today “We are the best at anti-graft: SBY”, as follows:
Amid intensifying reports of massive corruption implicating many of his Democratic Party members, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono claimed on Wednesday that his administration had conducted the best anti-corruption campaign in Indonesia’s history.
“We have carried out the most aggressive anti-corruption measures in this country’s history,” the President said in his speech before 128 foreign envoys assigned to Indonesia in a meeting held at the Foreign Ministry office.
The foreign representatives, which included foreign ambassadors and country leaders of international organizations, were invited by the Indonesian government to listen to Yudhoyono’s remarks on the latest developments on various issues.
In his speech, which was delivered in Indonesian, the President also claimed that his administration had been eager to impose decisive measures against corrupt state officials without exception.
“From ministers, governors, to regents and mayors, many have been tried for graft. Corruption still exists from the central government through the regional administrations and legislative bodies,” Yudhoyono added.
“However, our work is still far from finished. There is still much homework to accomplish, particularly when it comes to boosting bureaucratic reform,” he said.accomplish, particularly when it comes to boosting bureaucratic reform,” he said.
I felt mortified as a Malaysian reading this report.
Dare the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak make a similar claim as the Indonesian President that under his watch as the Prime Minister of Malaysia for nearly three years, his administration had conducted the best and most aggressive anti-corruption campaign in Malaysian history?
Yudhoyono can boast that under his presidency, many have been tried for graft “From ministers, governors, to regents and mayors”, but what has Najib got to show in his three years as Prime Minister although he elevated “Fighting Corruption” as one of the six key NKRAs (National Key Result Areas) in his Government Transformation Plan (GTP)?
Najib has nothing positive to show on the anti-corruption front as there are only negatives – like the mysterious and unresolved murder of Teoh Beng Hock at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters in Shah Alam in July 2009, the unexplained death of Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamad, Selangor Customs assistant director at MACC premises in Kuala Lumpur, the misuse and of the MACC as a political tool of the Barisan Nasional government to persecute and victimise Pakatan Rakyat leaders, etc.
What is most shocking is the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2011 released last month which showed that Malaysia has fallen to the lowest TI CPI ranking of No. 60 with the lowest CPI score of 4.3.
Based on the latest TI CPI 2011 ranking and score, Malaysia under Najib is even more corrupt than under the two previous Prime Ministers, Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah. Comparing Najib’s administration with those of the two previous Prime Ministers, Malaysia’s worst and best TI CPI ranking and score were:
Best ranking Best score Worst ranking Worst score
Tun Mahathir 23 (1995) 5.32 (1996) 37 (2003) 4.8 (2000)
Tun Abdullah 39 (2004) 5.1 (2005/7/8) 47 (2008) 5.0 (2004/6)
DS Najib 56 (2009/10) 4.5 (2009) 60 (2011) 4.3 (2011)
What should concern all Malaysians is that from recent trends, Malaysia runs the risk of being overtaken by both Indonesia and China before 2020 in the annual TI CPI both in ranking and score unless Malaysia quickly buck up and show its seriousness on the anti-corruption front.
In the first TI CPI in 1995, Malaysia was ranked No. 23 out of 41 countries with a CPI score of 5.28.
Seventeen years later, after numerous anti-corruption campaigns, two major anti-corruption legislation, the “elevation” of the former Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) into Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the National Integrity Plan, the 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme with massive infusion of public funds and increase of staffing, Malaysia has now fallen to the lowest TI CPI ranking in 17 years, viz: No. 60 with the lowest CPI score of 4.3.
In comparison, Indonesia was ranked at the very bottom of No. 41 in 1995 with CPI score of 1.94 while China was ranked No. 40 with a CPI score of 2.16 in 1995. Now Indonesia is ranked No. 100 with a CPI score of 3.0 in 2011 while China is ranked No. 75 with a score of 3.6.
At the annual average rate of Indonesia and China’s improvement on TI CPI ranking and score in the past three years, compared with Malaysia’s regression in CPI score in the past three years, Malaysia will be left behind by both Indonesia and China well before 2020.
How are Malaysians going to hold their heads high when the world perceive Malaysia as being even more corrupt than Indonesia and China before the end of the decade?
Is this the fate awaiting Malaysia in the TI CPI ranking and score before 2020?
(Speech at the Pahang DAP Chinese New Year Open House at the Bentong C hinese Asssembly Hall on Wednesday, 15th February 2012 at 9pm)
#1 by yhsiew on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 2:13 pm
The MACC is not doing its job e.g. it refused to investigate the “cattle condo” scandal until the public piled pressure on it.
#2 by SENGLANG on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 2:29 pm
Corruption in Malaysia has taken a very much different prospective because here corruption are done it in a very systematic manners where from the very top until the very low in the chains are involved. It start with head the longest serving head in the history of Malaysia.
Many government projects are tainted with corruption. So much so most of the projects failed due to large chunk of money have been taken away and leaving a small sum to complete the project but it always failed as the money left was simply too little to have the projects completed or if completed most of them are of inferior in standards and many need refurbishment before or after short period of usage.
There are many example, from hospital, to stadium and to court housed that were landed with many many problems from fungus infection, leakage and even collapsed of roofs etc.
From PKFZ until the latest COWGATE NFC are the example of projects that are seen to have failed its objective because of corruption
The worst happening was the agency that is in charge of anti corruption has become the protectors instead.
#3 by yhsiew on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 3:37 pm
Institutionalzed corruption is so deeply entrenched in every government organization and department that it has become a colossal task to eradicate the menace. The only hope for the country is to kick out the crooked BN government in GE13.
#4 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 4:02 pm
The question is whether they bother being overtaken by China or Indonesia whether tomorrow or in 2020. Those who care for the nation and its international image and economic success will worry about corruption For graft destroys the economy by undermining that trust which is required for transactions to occur, and distorts the economic calculations that ought to underlie business decisions. However if political elites think of their self interest and personal profit first and the nation’s image or even their own personal image second, then we have an intractable problem. Now if as unfortunately rooted whether in practice or feudal culture, our political and bureaucratic elites think that they are entitled to privileges and 1st bite access access to nation’s resources over the other’s rakyat’s right and entitlement – if the spoils of largese and patronage are the very raison de etre for them to enter politics instead of business – if they have all these attitudes, will they have the requisite political will to combat corruption or care for international norms against Corruption?
#5 by dagen wanna "ABU" on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 4:24 pm
Quiz. Spot the difference:
///We have carried out the most aggressive anti-corruption measures …/// indon president.
///We have announced the most aggressive anti-corruption measures …/// jib.
#6 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 4:35 pm
If people want to prioritise their self interests over the nation’s or rakyat’s, they can cook up a hundred and one reasons why we should not be concerned about being overtaken by China or Indonesia per TI CPI scores. They can say for eg all these are Mat Salleh’s standards or to be more exact, that Jewish ally, USA’s hypocritical standards. Why an ex premier even opined that If the US Could Create ‘Avatar’, It could fake 9/11 Attacks. Already some ex cop warned civil society that Human Rights Movement it was akin to Communism. In spite of hosting Global Conference for Moderates some quarters have dismissed Valentine Day as having Christian & immoral elements, and in the case of Hamza Kashgari, he was deported with unholy haste back to Saudi Arabia whatever the international norms or laws. In the NFC scandal, nothing is done except prevarications and dissembling. So what image or international norms are we talking about here that are of importance? Economic success of the country necessary to fuel the Gravy Train? We got oil /gas mah – not to worry of depletion cos Petronas just struck oil/gas offshore Sarawak! We won’t be alone: if ostracised by G7, we have more of other friends- Uganda Nepal Kazakhstan Uzbisekistan, Turkmeniskistan, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe etc. Semua OK.
#7 by waterfrontcoolie on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 5:13 pm
Those involved at the national level seem to act in consortium-like behaviour by trying to redeem their acts by catching any ikan bilis connected to the Opposition members who are foolish enough to try their luck! Maybe upon being caught, they will leap-frog thus saving their skin. Malaysia being gradually dropping itself to the bottom of the parade should not be asurprise when the simple act of asking public servants, meaning including Politicians to declare their assets met with such resistance that the average Malaysian cannot but draw its conclusion. This is not enough when Cow-gates, Sub-gate, FZ-gate all poured out into the street notwithstanding the reluctance of the controlled papers trying hard to cover it. Basically they have worked so hard to mislead the public that they finally misled themselves into believing that all the above behaviours can be swept under THEIR carpets!
So Malaysians the choice is yours!
#8 by gofortruth on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 5:18 pm
Make no mistake MACC is doing it’s job, in fact it has been working double time to help it’s master (UMNO) to search for ways to sweep their NFC cow dung under the carpet.
#9 by the reds on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 6:44 pm
Save Malaysia! The trend will only stop when a new reformed government is formed! Malaysia Boleh!
#10 by monsterball on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 7:36 pm
In anything concerning corruptions…you cannot expect a corrupt leader like Mahathir and Najib to talk like President Susilo of Indonesia.
It is like asking a crooked ring leader to break all the gangsters laws they set up….in the first place.
#11 by Jeffrey on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 8:35 pm
///Business and money politics in the government are causing severe damage to the nation. As a result, business has become inseparable from political patronage, power and the electoral process. …The system became self-serving for entrenched political and business interests. All those in the hierarchy also benefited and worked in order to maintain that system///- per Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, as reported by Malaysiakini, Feb 16, 2012.
Ku Li must remember that without government’s involvement in business – which he says provides opportunities for corruption – how is the NEP to be implemented? Which is why the Never Ending Policy is such a sacred cow (leading some cattles now to condos)!
Now its easy for Ku Li says this. Then in 1980s he was UMNO’s architect to corporatize UMNO in Malaysian businesses, being the Finance Minister and brains behind many of the moves to Malaysianise business conglomerates once owned by British companies like Sime Darby, Guthrie, London Tin etc. He set up Bank Bumiputera which faltered and created 1st major scandal.
#12 by mm08 on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 8:42 pm
They themselves need to know what is corruption. Corruption is contagious, it is everywhere! Not to say that we cannot stop it, we can with the leaders of the country lead by example and enforce the law. I mean really enforce and not double standard law like what is happening now! REvamp the MACC, change all the personnel there.. i suppose mostly all useless!
#13 by monsterball on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 10:55 pm
Crooks are crooks…the day crook makes up their minds to be crooked….cannot change…never will…for he has lead all UMNO b policy makers.. to be crooked for 22 years…and change will be dooms days.
But he knows the Malaysians are a smart lot now…and fooling them…will not work.
Still….crooks are crooks…and whatever you read that seems to be music to your ears….is just one way…these crooks are trying to stay afloat and hope to win elections after elections…to avoid being investigated and go to jail.
When you reach an age of 85..you are afraid of nothing….but for the love to protect the sons…having the loots…that old man will defend them to his death.
This is Malaysia crooked story.
#14 by negarawan on Thursday, 16 February 2012 - 11:36 pm
UMNO/BN ministers don’t dare to declare their assets because they are corrupted to their bone marrow. They can’t afford to follow the example of the Penang state government. Shame on UMNO/BN and while you may get away with it now, you can’t escape forever…
#15 by sotong on Friday, 17 February 2012 - 9:54 am
As a result of decades of bad leadership, there is a strong culture of corruption.
They are living in the different world/environment….nobody cares!
#16 by Godfather on Friday, 17 February 2012 - 10:51 am
Yesterday, two former senior executives of Tabung Haji were acquitted by the Court of Appeal for CBT amounting to RM 200 million. Tabung Haji definitely lost this money, but with the acquittal, who has got the money ? Not only has Tabung Haji lost RM 200 million, it now has to pay backdated salaries to these two senior executives and also incur legal costs. There was also mention of a minister having been informed of the ill-fated investment. Who is this minister ?
There is no accountability in this country. A pilgrims’ fund lost RM 200 million, nobody is being held accountable. Not the Board of Tabung Haji, not the Minister in charge. And evidently, not the executives.
#17 by Jeffrey on Friday, 17 February 2012 - 11:36 am
Corruption -the misuse of public power for private gain- is universal phenomenon because greed and the desire to take advantage is rooted in human nature: yet it’s universally condemned because what’s advantageous to the individuals or group of individuals having access to corrupt practices and gains is detrimental to welfare of the majority/rest of the society or country as a whole, and hence there’s pressure from the latter for the government to stem and proscribe it. The degree of success – and political will- varies from country to country depending on local culture and strength of institutions.
#18 by Jeffrey on Friday, 17 February 2012 - 11:36 am
In our case we’re losing out in terms of political will to grapple this social cancer because the minority elites in power having access to, and protecting corruption have three underlying advantages going for them: (1) the fact that the middle class is not substantial & there’s widespread mal-distribution of wealth and income inequality with a few rich and many relatively poor with the poor railing against corruption that they have no means to stop (except regime change) and from whose disadvantaged ranks, if they have an opportunity to rise up in business or politics (including being “katak” politician or BR1M voter) will soon try to correct their poor socio-economic status by joining the ranks of the corrupt; (2) regime change being not easy to effect when incumbent has advantage to manipulate race and religion to camouflage it and garner the support to carry on in power for its perpetration and; (3) the ethic to work hard to make money is undermined and thwarted by the opposite subsidy mentality and ethic in which only mundane items like sugar, petrol are subsidized but entire sections of populace by entrenched affirmative welfare policies in the guise of equalizing income gap stated in (1) above.
#19 by Jeffrey on Friday, 17 February 2012 - 11:38 am
oop s- “… Not only mundane items like sugar…”
#20 by boh-liao on Friday, 17 February 2012 - 10:47 pm
Corruption is oredi in UmnoB/BN’s DNA, no way things will get better; anyway, as long as M’sia is better than some African nations, OK lah
Just look at d obese 1, mis-spending rakyat’s $$, still got loctor fr a kangaroo U, S hit!