Thursday, May 08, 2008

Where Bribes Came From?

It is overtly known by the rakyat that bribes are the color of the life in hogging for a fast lane. Even though the situation is not as worse as Indonesia, the degree of the bribery in Malaysia was quite aggravating. From the studies on transparency, the condition in Malaysia is claimed as deteriorating.

We always said that the civil servant is those who the one who insisted and looming the bribery. We never did any study for the roots of corruption itself in namely governmental procurement. Why the blame game always deposited firmly in the rakyat’s mind? It was the politic who ruins every good deed by the civil servants.

Let us look on this normal occurrence.

It was an early year in one of government department. There will be three of four representative of supplier companies that I would say boldly, Chinese persons, will invite a staff who have the authority to make buying, for a lunch, in a prestigious place. This excluding the not needed angpows that slipping with smiles into the staff’s pocket that sometimes rejected in the name of integrity. In any given chance, the suppliers are waiting the right time to give some ‘present’ in form of money so the consideration will lean to them. Now where was all this mess came from? One of the former local council’s technician once said “This kings of these private treasury will be in total anxious if you don’t take their offers. By hook or by crook they will ensure that you get the money. If you reluctant to, they will ensure that on any time you’re in dire straits, their offers will be the salvation. They never hesitate to do something that makes you in total needy. They even offer you girls! Now why it was their side are the one who condemning the civil servant on taking bribes. It was them that gave birth on the integrity breaching condition! Those politicians who always blame the civil servant have to combat these evils at the first place!” – This guy resigned because of malicious treatment he gets just to uphold the integrity.


The second case is a two situation that normally happened

It was on the freeway. One guy gear down his car and confidently overtook another car. He never knew that his act was monitored by a traffic policeman. He was then ordered to the road shoulder after a few minutes by the policeman.

Situation 1

Policeman : Lesen sama IC.
Driver : Oh. OK. Apa pasal tuan?
Policeman : You potong double line.
Driver : Ya ka. Saya tatau situ double line ma..
Policeman : Mana boleh taktau. Itu jalan sudah banyak tahun double line!
Driver : Saya baru ini hari lalu sini jalan la tuan.
Policeman : You mau tengok la… Itu jalan boleh potong ka tak boleh.
Driver : Tuan, ( with his hand counting some money in his wallet ) tolong saya tuan. Saya taktau punya ( with his right hand slipping out few notes ). Boleh ka?
Policeman : ( looking at the notes.. and slowly took the money given by the driver discretly whilst giving afew words..) Lain kali, you mau tengok ma..
Driver : Baik tuan, baik. Lain kali saya betul-betul tengok..
Policeman : OK, jalan.


Situation 2

Policeman : Bagi lesen dan IC.
Driver : Kenapa tuan?
Policeman : Awak tak nampak ke double line?
Driver : Iya ke? Tuan, saya tak tau tuan.
Policeman : Mana boleh taktauDah berkurun jalan tu double line!
Driver : Saya baru ini hari lalu sini tuan.
Policeman : Lain kali tengok la dulu boleh potong ke tidak.
Driver : Tuan, tolong saya tuan. Saya taktau jalan tu double line.
Policeman : Lain kali, tengok dulu. Ini saman ni. Macam mana?
Driver : Takpe la tuan. Saman je la.
Policeman : OK. ( whilst writing down a summon ). Nah.. OK, jalan.

So, on which hands the bribes are given birth from? It is not a bigotry accusation but the thing is, if all these ‘donors’ are caught, will the politician amused? It will left no more businessmen amongst them but only politicians. Again, will they amused? No they don’t. For them, it is nothing wrong with the fire starters. It was the recipients who always wrong. Why? Because they are civil servants. Or in a harsh manner, because they are Malay. Now who are covering the whole issue and raise a few of it in favor to bash some other quarter in a bigotry attitude?

This issue would not end as there is more to be revealed as it was the lame situation of how certain quarters of Malaysian are living with this culture and yet in peculiar hypocrisy, blaming the one they bribe for taking it. If only each of them who finance the notorious practice is caught red handed, then the truth revealed? I would eager to be the one who counting the numbers of those prosecuted. To those who are offered with bribes, I would like to advice, bring those who offer it to the justice. Let the world know who they are.

If you ever break the law, just admit it, and just face the music. Money in your pocket are not the substitution of your wrongdoings before you are summoned to meet the magistrate. Pay your compound and get the official receipt. Never offer money to the enforcement officer because it just show the mass that Malaysian mentality are the lowest at the first place. Not the government officer.