The rise of 'Homo corruptus' in our midst

Najib arriving at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya before his appearance in the Federal Court for his final appeal in the SRC Sdn Bhd corruption case on Aug 23, 2022. The fact that his conviction and sentence was upheld is a sign that Malaysia's institutions haven't succumbed entirely to 'Homo corruptus' yet. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star

WE are Homo sapiens, the species to which all modern human beings belong. It actually means "wise man” in Latin because Homo sapiens had the smarts to survive the evolutionary game that eliminated Homo erectus and Homo neanderthalensis.

It’s been 300,000 years since Homo sapiens arose from Africa, and now another primate species is fast evolving. It’s Homo corruptus. This species is thriving in the Age of Corruption and Malaysia is one of the fertile founts for its rise.