Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Dr. Tun Mahathir Mohamad, wrote in a post on Thursday, that not only has corruption become a part of Malaysia’s culture, but corrupt Malaysians also do not care for the future of the country.
Dr. Mahathir further explained that when people take bribes, their perception of what is right and wrong goes out the window. “People who accept this corruption culture no longer feel shy or embarrassed by accepting or giving bribes.”
He also said that when corruption is normalized and accepted in a community, the members of the community lose their sense of wrongdoing.
”The priority is getting something to fulfill their greed,” the Prime Minister explained, saying that they also no longer see the long-term effects of their choices.
“It is certain that any nationalism, and its effect on race and country, is not more important than the desires of those who take bribes.”
Furthermore, Mahathir maintained that the corrupt become expert at hiding their wrongdoing since they are aware that this is against not only their religion but also the law.
For Malays, he said, when money becomes ‘king,’ giving and receiving bribes becomes part of the values and culture of their lives.
“They are willing to do anything if they are bribed with enough money or the gift of interest. Whether it is a good or bad thing, it is not part of the consideration.
That it is against the law, even considered as a sin in terms of religion, are not taken into account. The priority is the satisfying of one’s greed.
Whether it is good or bad, bribery feeds greed and believed to be profitable. The negative effects on society are trivialized.
Certainly, a sense of national pride and the impact on society and the country are trivialized by those corrupt individuals.”
Read related: Mahathir chastises countrymen for being lazy, preferring handouts
https://theindependent.sg.sg/mahathir-chastises-countrymen-for-being-lazy-preferring-handouts/