‘High tolerance for graft among Chinese’
A survey has found that there is high tolerance for corruption among the Chinese community.
Leven Woon, FMT
About half of the Chinese do not know where to report bribery cases and for most of them receiving kickback from contractors and accepting a meal treat is acceptable, a survey shows.
The opinion polls was done in between October and December and 216 Chinese from more than 25 professions were involved.
It found that a staggering 48.1% or 104 individuals do not know the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is the agency to report corruption.
Khoo Shang Hui, who was involved in conducting the survey on behalf of Hua Zong Youth, said the high percentage might be due to the MACC failing to reach out to the public.
The survey also showed that 30.56% of the respondents do accept a meal treat from contractors, while 47.2% said they might accept depending on the situation.
Hua Zong Youth bureau member Lim Gim Shin said the figures would go up to 77.7% when the two categories of kickback and meal treats were added up.
Some 63.4% of the respondents found taking commission from contractors acceptable and 58.3% offered free drinks to government officers to expedite document-processing.
Lim said these activities would definitely encourage bribery to take place because it involved contractors and government officers.
Many don’t report to authorities
The survey also found that many members of public knew corruption was taking place but did not report to the MACC.
Of the 65 individuals who encountered corruption cases in the past one year, only 18 wished to report it to the authorities while six had lodged reports before.
“The survey reflects high tolerance for corruption and low integrity in the society,” he said.
Hua Zong has put forward 13 suggestions and five resolutions for the government to consider.
Among them were to amend Section 23 (abuse of power) and Section 36 (asset) of the MACC Act 1997, make appointment of MACC chief commissioner at Parliament’s discretion, and introduce corporate liability into the MACC Act.
Hua Zong would also set up a friend of integrity programme to promote the cause.
