Madiha says youths can spread the anti-graft message via social media.
SOME 300 youths between the ages of 18 and 30 were arrested for various offences by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) between 2020 and June this year.
“Although the numbers are not that significant compared to the total, I want to highlight that even youths as young as 18 are involved in bribery,” said MACC deputy chief commissioner (Prevention) Datuk Seri Norazlan Mohd Razali at the closing ceremony of the Konvensyen Mahasiswa AntiRasuah (KoMaWar) and the Speak Up Competition at Universiti Malaya (UM).
He said it was a reminder to students to resist the lure of corruption especially when they enter the workforce.
UM vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Hamdi Shukor said the objective of the convention was to develop values that abhor corruption among students.
“What is the point of having superior knowledge without good character among our younger generation?” he asked, adding that it was important to forge values of integrity at the school and university level.
UM is at the final stage of developing the Anti-Corruption Plan known as the UM-ACP 2022-2026, which forms the basic policy to overcome weaknesses in governance, integrity and anti-corruption efforts in an organisation.
Winner of the Speak Up Competition, Madiha Syahidah Mohd Rohani from Mara Polytech College in Bangi, Selangor, said youths could help to spread the anti-corruption message via social media.
“We have access to information, the laws and sanctions, and the understanding of how detrimental corruption is to society,” she said.
Her speech on how youths should abhor corruption pointed out that education and awareness were important elements to develop honesty and integrity in youths.
This was the fourth year the MACC co-organised KoMaWar with university student leaders to share information on anti-corruption efforts and raise awareness among students on the negative impact of corruption in society.
This year, 19 programmes that involved students at public institutions of higher learning and four programmes at private institutions have been conducted with the collaboration of various parties.
The programmes included forums, seminars, dialogues, quizzes and debates.
