KUALA LUMPUR: Offering "hush money" or small rewards to cover up wrongdoing may seem harmless but it is the root of corruption that can undermine future generations, says the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Its Kuala Lumpur director Mohamad Zakkuan Talib (pic) said integrity must be nurtured in the home and strengthened across all levels of society.
"Parents must instil honesty and trustworthiness from an early age.
"Don’t normalise giving ‘hush money’ to hide mistakes.
"Likewise, paying for ‘cables’ (connections) must stop. That’s where corruption begins, often unnoticed,” he told the media after an anti-graft programme at Kampung Malaysia Raya here on Sunday (Oct 5).
Zakkuan noted that corruption rarely starts in boardrooms, as it often begins with small actions that gradually become accepted behaviour.
"Corruption is like fire. It may seem small, but left unchecked, it can burn homes, villages and entire nations. When students buy exam answers or village leaders show favouritism because of bribes, public trust begins to erode,” he said.
While the MACC can investigate and prosecute, Zakkuan said true success depends on public support, with the community as the front line in building an integrity-driven generation.
Zakkuan said he had noticed an increase in public tip-offs over the last four months since he took office.
He believed this was driven by outreach efforts and greater awareness of rewards for information leading to convictions.
Sunday's programme involved several agencies, including the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry, the Royal Malaysia Police, the National Population and Family Development Board and the National Anti-Drugs Agency, with Bank Islam as a strategic partner.
Activities included a forum titled Building a Corruption-Free Generation, featuring actor Ebby Yus and community leader Khairul Salleh Hasan, along with an integrity-themed colouring contest for children, exhibitions, health screenings, Rahmah sales and lucky draws.
"Integrity starts with ‘I’. If civil servants, students and community leaders are clean, the nation wll be, too,” Zakkuan added. – Bernama
