Corruption must never be accepted as a way of life
By The Business Ethics Institute of Malaysia
BEIM fully supports the call by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah to fight corruption as a “jihad.”
The Sultan’s advice to agencies responsible for fighting corruption to do so “without fear or favour” is not only refreshingly encouraging but must also serve as a warning to those tempted to fall, sway or compromise their duties along the way.
BEIM believes that corruption ultimately leads to the fall of a nation as it is indeed “like termites eating into the pillars of the country” as the Sultan admonished. Corruption is not only restricted to dollars and cents, but encompasses the four paradigms of human endeavour i.e. the perimeters of politics, society, the economy and the environment.
Power, greed, oppression and control – all of these hinge on corruption if society is not vigilant and constantly questioning such exploits. Leaders who deprive their citizens of the space to demand for accountability and an acceptable degree of transparency for their actions (or inactions) are also corrupt.
For a multi-religious country like Malaysia, corruption should never be seen as a coveted prize or way of life.
BEIM continues to play its catalytic role of enabling businesses and policymakers the opportunity to promote, sustain and build upon ethics in all their pursuits as this is the cornerstone for building and sustaining a corrupt-free society.
In this regard we ask our leaders from both sides of the political divide, including our revered Rulers and the many institutions responsible for the good governance of a nation, to consolidate their efforts to go beyond mere words, speeches, promises and slogans so this endeavour to create a corrupt-free society is indeed successful.
In this regard too, we must uphold and promote the responsible act of whistleblowing. We must also empower the consumer to act according to his or her rights and not shy away from asking pertinent questions in the public space afforded us.
The fight against corruption must not be held back by admonishments to be ‘politically correct’ nor should whistleblowers be intimidated with subtle warnings to ‘keep it within closed doors.’
Hence the nation’s leadership has a pivotal role to play in this fight against corruption. Walking the talk will inspire others to emulate ethical conduct in all areas be it political, social, economic or environmental.
To begin with our “jihad” on corruption, we need to break free from the chains of racism and religious extremism and appreciate instead our collective roles for a greater Malaysia for all Malaysians.
If the exemplary nations in the West have achieved it, we can too. And we must. Only then can we say we are members of the ethical, developed world.
How many billionaires we produce; how many mega structures we raise into the sky; how many decades we stay in power – these must never be the yardstick of a corrupt-free society. And we are proud to attest that there are Malaysians (members of BEIM for example), who are taking great effort to uphold ethics despite the daunting challenges in a society reeking with corruption.
With a firm belief in freedom of expression and without prejudice, FMT tries its best to share reliable content from third parties. Such articles are strictly the writer’s personal opinion. FMT does not necessarily endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2016/03/02/corruption-must-never-be-accepted-as-a-way-of-life/#sthash.44e4eNAJ.dpuf
BEIM fully supports the call by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah to fight corruption as a “jihad.”
The Sultan’s advice to agencies responsible for fighting corruption to do so “without fear or favour” is not only refreshingly encouraging but must also serve as a warning to those tempted to fall, sway or compromise their duties along the way.
BEIM believes that corruption ultimately leads to the fall of a nation as it is indeed “like termites eating into the pillars of the country” as the Sultan admonished. Corruption is not only restricted to dollars and cents, but encompasses the four paradigms of human endeavour i.e. the perimeters of politics, society, the economy and the environment.
Power, greed, oppression and control – all of these hinge on corruption if society is not vigilant and constantly questioning such exploits. Leaders who deprive their citizens of the space to demand for accountability and an acceptable degree of transparency for their actions (or inactions) are also corrupt.
For a multi-religious country like Malaysia, corruption should never be seen as a coveted prize or way of life.
BEIM continues to play its catalytic role of enabling businesses and policymakers the opportunity to promote, sustain and build upon ethics in all their pursuits as this is the cornerstone for building and sustaining a corrupt-free society.
In this regard we ask our leaders from both sides of the political divide, including our revered Rulers and the many institutions responsible for the good governance of a nation, to consolidate their efforts to go beyond mere words, speeches, promises and slogans so this endeavour to create a corrupt-free society is indeed successful.
In this regard too, we must uphold and promote the responsible act of whistleblowing. We must also empower the consumer to act according to his or her rights and not shy away from asking pertinent questions in the public space afforded us.
The fight against corruption must not be held back by admonishments to be ‘politically correct’ nor should whistleblowers be intimidated with subtle warnings to ‘keep it within closed doors.’
Hence the nation’s leadership has a pivotal role to play in this fight against corruption. Walking the talk will inspire others to emulate ethical conduct in all areas be it political, social, economic or environmental.
To begin with our “jihad” on corruption, we need to break free from the chains of racism and religious extremism and appreciate instead our collective roles for a greater Malaysia for all Malaysians.
If the exemplary nations in the West have achieved it, we can too. And we must. Only then can we say we are members of the ethical, developed world.
How many billionaires we produce; how many mega structures we raise into the sky; how many decades we stay in power – these must never be the yardstick of a corrupt-free society. And we are proud to attest that there are Malaysians (members of BEIM for example), who are taking great effort to uphold ethics despite the daunting challenges in a society reeking with corruption.
With a firm belief in freedom of expression and without prejudice, FMT tries its best to share reliable content from third parties. Such articles are strictly the writer’s personal opinion. FMT does not necessarily endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.
- See more at: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2016/03/02/corruption-must-never-be-accepted-as-a-way-of-life/#sthash.44e4eNAJ.dpuf
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