The setting up of an integrity unit in all government-linked companies and ministry-owned business entities to curb graft announced by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the 13th Invest Malaysia Kuala Lumpur conference yesterday will only end up as meaningless “PR” exercises unless the Prime Minister and the entire Cabinet have the political will to be examples of zero tolerance of corruption.

This political will to ensure “zero tolerance for corruption” should start from the very top from the Prime Minister downwards, and should begin with comprehensive investigations and satisfactory accounting of the international multi-billion dollar 1MDB money-laundering scandal, which had transformed Malaysia overnight into a global kleptocracy. Let a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the 1MDB scandal be established.

The Prime Minister should know better than anyone that Malaysian leaders have lost the moral high ground, whether at home or in the international arena, to talk about ethics, morality, integrity and good governance so long as Malaysia is tarred and tainted with the odious appellation of a global kleptocracy and the Malaysian government is unable to do anything to clear or cleanse Malaysia of such infamy and ignominy.
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