Corruption begins long before the first bribe

WE tend to imagine corruption as dramatic headlines involving millions of ringgit, abuse of power, or corporate misconduct. However, corruption rarely begins at that scale. It often starts quietly, through rationalisation, normalisation, and small ethical compromises that gradually become accepted behaviour.

A manager inflates claims because “everyone does it.” An officer speeds up approvals for personal favours. An employee misuses company resources believing it causes “no real harm”. A politician protects allies in the name of loyalty. These actions may differ in magnitude but, psychologically, they emerge from the same behavioural roots.