KUALA LUMPUR: The results of a survey carried out 17 years ago on the willingness of youth to accept bribes has proven to be prophetic, says Datuk Shamshun Baharin Mohd Jamil.
The Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission deputy chief (prevention) said the survey, carried out by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 2002, showed that 30.5% of the respondents, who were students then, had expressed willingness to accept bribes if they were in power.
He said that those within the age group of the respondents now makes up the majority of people facing corruption cases today.
"The study yielded alarming results, but society remained in denial. It was not taken seriously. But now it has been proven that 53.2% of the 5,024 offenders nabbed (from 2014 to 2018) are aged 40 and below.
"This figure tallies with the survey carried out 17 years ago, as the respondents are now between 38 and 40 years old," he said.
He said this after opening the national anti-corruption oratory competition at Bank Rakyat Twin Tower here on Wednesday (Sept 25) and added that it was crucial to instil a bribe-phobic culture from young, in line with the Anti-Corruption National Plan 2019-2023 (NACP).
"The NACP, which was launched on Jan 29 shows that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is committed to promoting a culture of integrity," he said.
Shamshun said that the MACC would continue to inculcate an anti-corruption culture in kindergartens, schools and universities.
MACC had forged smart networking with Bank Rakyat and the Education Ministry to promote anti-corruption campaigns in schools.
Shamshun said that the MACC had also prepared a module on graft for final-year university students.
"UKM has introduced the course on graft over the last four semesters," he said, adding that they were wiling to share the module with other public and private higher learning institutes.
On the oratory competition, he said MACC revived it after an 11-year lapse.
A total of 13 students aged 16 participated in the final round oratory competition, where the students were given only one minute to prepare speech based on titles picked in a draw.
Shamsul Haris Shamsul Bahari who awed the crowd with his oratory skills emerged as the undisputed champion.
He bagged a RM3,000 prize and a trophy. The first and second runner-ups were Adriana Sofi Mohd Sabri and Adlin Safia Mohd Ariff Andika who took home RM2,000 and RM1,000 prize money respectively.
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