Studies Stats Souls Why Fight Against Graft Must Begin Within

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In Putrajaya this week, the MACC received the findings of the 2024 Study on Corruption in Malaysia - a comprehensive collaboration with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the Statistics Department.
MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki declared that the recommendations will guide Malaysia’s anti-graft efforts through operations, prevention, and education.
It is a bold move, and a necessary one. The use of data, artificial intelligence, and digitalisation to combat corruption speaks of progress.
But a deeper question remains: Can a nation’s moral decay be reversed with statistics alone?
As citizens, we must be honest. Corruption is not merely a legal lapse or a governance flaw. It is a failure of the soul!
Religious warnings
Religions have long warned us. Islam says clearly in Surah Al-Baqarah 2:188: “Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly or send it (in bribery) to the rulers in order that (they might aid) you to consume a portion of the wealth of others while knowingly.”
In the Bible, the Book of Proverbs cautions: “Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice” (Proverbs 16:8).
In the Hindu text, the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna declares: “Those who are demonic do not know what to do and what not to do. Neither cleanliness nor proper behaviour nor truth is found in them.” (Gita 16:7).
Even the Buddha, though non-theistic, emphasised in the Dhammapada: “The fool who knows he is a fool is that much wiser. But the fool who thinks he is wise is a fool indeed.”
What corruption really exposes is this: our disconnect from our own spiritual traditions.
Philosophers throughout the ages have echoed the same truth. Confucius taught, “If the people are led by laws, and uniformity is sought by punishments, they will try to escape punishment and have no sense of shame. If they are led by virtue, and uniformity is sought through ritual and morality, they will develop a sense of shame and become good.”
Lao Tzu added: “The more rules and regulations, the more thieves and robbers there will be.” And in the West, Socrates once asked, “Is the unexamined life worth living?” - a reminder that self-scrutiny is the first form of accountability.
Yet we continue to battle corruption as if it is an external virus rather than an internal disease.
Moral literacy
MACC's move to include education as a pillar of its anti-corruption strategy is vital. But we must go beyond legal literacy and venture into moral literacy. Our schools should not only teach what corruption is, but also why it is wrong.
Our universities must be places where ethics are not elective, but essential. Our religious leaders - regardless of tradition - must step up to preach not only ritual, but righteousness.
In this sense, the 2024 study is not just a tool for policymakers. It should be a mirror to our national conscience. It reveals how far we’ve drifted from the basic teachings of our traditions - whether it's the Ten Commandments, the Noble Eightfold Path, or the Islamic principle of “amanah” (trustworthiness).
As Malaysians, we must ask ourselves: Are we raising children who know that to steal is wrong, or merely that it is punishable? Do our workplaces reward honesty, or only results? Do our leaders lead with fear or with virtue?
We can digitise governance, and we should. But no system, however advanced, can substitute for the ethical compass of a nation. To quote the Roman philosopher Seneca: “He who does not prevent a crime when he can, encourages it.”
Give life to study
Let this study not be shelved. Let it be lived. Let it spark a new movement - not only in our institutions but in our interior lives. For ultimately, it is not technology or task forces that will defeat corruption, but the revival of conscience - across faiths, cultures, and classes.
And at the heart of it all, the truth remains startlingly simple: “Thou shalt not steal.” It is the Seventh Commandment, etched in stone on the tablets given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
A moral compass as ancient as it is clear. We can dress it up with audits and artificial intelligence, but in the end, the fight against corruption begins with the most basic of teachings - one echoed in every faith and every tradition worth its salt.
It is time we remembered not just what we know, but what we were always taught. - Mkini
JOSEPH MASILAMANY is a veteran journalist and storyteller with a deep interest in social justice, interfaith dialogue, and everyday human struggles. With decades of experience covering national affairs, culture, and public policy, he often explores the unintended consequences of well-meaning government initiatives and the nuanced realities behind Malaysia's diverse society.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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