Total war on graft needed to achieve 2033 target

MALAYSIA’S climb to 54th place in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is a welcome signal of progress. With a score of 52, the “small steps” taken by the Madani government are finally yielding a positive, albeit modest, momentum.

But while we acknowledge this improvement, we must not mistake a slight gain for total victory.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has set a target for Malaysia to break into the Top 25 of the CPI by 2033. To achieve this, we need a 16-point surge.

At our current pace, we are merely strolling towards the finish line. We need to break from strolling to sprinting.

Recent cases involving the top brass of the Armed Forces and the Department of Environment are deeply concerning. When those entrusted with our national security and environmental safety are implicated in bribery, they are not merely “bad apples”; they are traitors to the nation.

We can no longer dismiss these cases as isolated incidents. As the PM has rightly noted, we are facing a systemic crisis that demands more than just verbal assurances.

We need fast, decisive prosecutions. The government must send a clear message that no rank or title offers a shield against the law. The public is exhausted by the cycle of committees and task forces.

Financial mismanagement must be met with immediate legal consequences. For too long, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and National Audit Department reports have been met with mere reprimands. Issuing a “don’t do it again” warning to the perpetrators is an insult to the taxpayer.

Annual asset declarations for all public servants must be made compulsory. Transparency is the only effective disinfectant for systemic greed.

The proposed Special High Court for corruption must be set up immediately. It must be granted absolute judicial independence and shielded from any political or institutional interference to ensure the swift disposal of long-standing cases.

The time for hesitation and half-measures is over; we must now commit to an uncompromising offensive against corruption. The rakyat, the ultimate judges of this administration’s success, are no longer in a mood to be forgiving, nor are people content to wait until 2033 for a clean Malaysia. Let us reach our target sooner.

DR POLA SINGH

Kuala Lumpur

(The writer is a former exco member of Transparency International Malaysia.)