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Mahathir: Corruption has become part of Malay culture

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M'sian PM says those who are corrupt do not care about the future of the country

Corruption has become part of Malay culture, and those who are corrupt do not care for the future of the country, the Malaysian Prime Minister said yesterday.

In a blogpost, Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the notion of right or wrong is thrown out the window when receiving bribes, The Star reported.

"People who accept this corruption culture no longer feel shy or embarrassed by accepting or giving bribes," he said.

Dr Mahathir said that when a community accepts corruption as a normal act that is openly practised, there is no longer a feeling of wrongdoing in those who give or receive bribes.

"The priority is getting something to fulfil their greed," he said.

Dr Mahathir said the corrupt do not consider the long term effects.

"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," he added.

He said people who are corrupt generally hide their deeds as they know it is against the law and goes against religion,

However, he said that when corrupt practices are accepted by the community as a common thing that can be publicly disclosed, then there will be no sense of shame for doing so, either by the givers or the recipients, reported Bernama.

BRIBES

When "cash is king" or "money is king", the practice of giving and accepting bribes becomes one of the values of life and culture, especially among the Malays, he said.

"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," he said.

He added: "Whether it is good or bad, bribery feeds greed and believed to be profitable. The negative effects on society are trivialised.

"Certainly, a sense of national pride and the impact (of the habit) on society and the country are trivialised by those corrupt individuals."

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