From potholes to encroachments, Sultan Nazrin speaks of the ‘corruption elephant’ in Malaysia

SHAH ALAM – Without mincing his words the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah dropped a frank truth bomb concerning Malaysia’s integrity and the problematic elephant in the room which many are refusing to acknowledge.

He believed the corruption in the country has gotten worst given Malaysia’s latest global ranking in Transparency International’s corruption perception index in which it tumbled from the 57th seat in 2020 to 62nd seat in 2021.

“We cannot take this lightly. We cannot be complacent. We cannot be in denial and keep on coming up with all sorts of justifications and mental gymnastics to deny the existence of the corruption elephant in front of us.

“We must be brave and accept the reality that there the corruption in the country is at a dangerous scale based on the repeated reproves in the Auditor General’s Report and the numerous findings by Public Account Committee,” said Sultan Nazrin.

The sobering assessment was spoken in his royal address at the launching of a book that touches on corruption and the hypocrisy in Malay politics at Karangkraf Mall, here, today.

The said book, 'Corruption and Hypocrisy in Malay Muslim Politics - The Urgency of Moral-Ethical Transformation’ is penned by Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Mohd Kamal Hassan.

Wanting corruption to be seriously combatted and eradicated, Sultan Nazrin implored on those who are oblivious of the current situation to open their eyes and face the reality.

Potholes, clogged drains, collapsed buildings, leaked roofs, environmental pollution and illegal encroachment are the situational symptoms and signals of the corruption happening in the country.

“The attitude and response towards these issues will determine whether corruption is to be addressed with real determination or merely empty rhetoric that is devoid of meaningful actions,” added Sultan Nazrin.

He also warned greedy leaders who abused their powers and colluded with unscrupulous parties to enable corruption to fester in the country.

“Wealth, power, and positions are both God’s gift and test to us. The gains garnered through illicit means will not be reciprocated with loyalty.

“A person's true character will be revealed when he has wealth and possessions, whereby the culture of modesty and humility disappears, taken over by arrogance and haughtiness,” said Sultan Nazrin.