Re-educating our politicians on integrity
New Straits Times (Columns)
17 Sep 2006
Abdul Razak Ahmad 

A major push by the government to promote integrity in all spheres has now zeroed in on politicians as well. ABDUL RAZAK AHMAD writes on a recently launched ‘Integrity in Politics’ programme and what it realistically hopes to achieve.

WHEN the Malaysian Institute of Integrity recently launched a programme specially tailored for politicians, it made Malaysia perhaps the only country where politicians are being actively goaded to become a more, well, honest lot.

The "Integrity in Politics" programme is a series of one-day interactive seminars that invite branch, division and state political leaders, starting with those in the ruling Barisan Nasional.

Experts present papers on politics and integrity, capping off with a briefing.

The programme kicked off with a seminar in Ipoh on Sept 7 with 211 participants. It will later be carried out in all the states.

The institute’s officials describe it as part of a wider ongoing awareness campaign that also includes dialogue and briefing sessions with political parties.

Some of those who attended the Ipoh seminar were initially shocked due to a misunderstanding of the programme’s objectives. A Perak Umno official says this was the case especially with some who came only during the opening of the seminar by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali later that day.

One such participant was reported by a national language newspaper of pondering on the need to focus on "integrity", which he half-jokingly said was a harmful "foreign agenda" — of the Jewish variety, to boot. The report highlighted just how steep is the hill that the noble-intentioned institute needs to climb to get its job done.

Is a re-education of our politicians needed? Can the institute’s goal be ever achieved?

Perak Puteri Umno chief Dr Wan Norashikin Wan Nordin, who attended the inaugural seminar, says the feedback she received from those who attended was generally positive.

"Perhaps some were uneasy because those who presented papers during the seminar were mainly outsiders."

Three people presented papers at the Ipoh event. Historians Prof Datuk Ramlah Adam and Prof Datuk Khoo Kay Kim, both outlined the basic foundations of the country’s political system as well as the agreements between the political parties, to explain why integrity must be an important part of politics in multi-racial Malaysia.

The third presenter was president of the Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance, Datuk Seri Megat Najmuddin Megat Khas.

His paper was on the concept of corporate governance, the role of leaders and how a list of indicators ranging from those on the take to traffic fatalities make up a picture of the quality of life in Malaysia and the integrity of its people.

The institute’s president, Datuk Seri Isahak Yeop Mohamad Shar, admits to the seemingly daunting task in promoting integrity among politicians.

But his immediate targets aren’t as idealistic as they may appear.

"What we want is to get close to this target group, and to help create awareness," said Isahak.

"If we can help to create an understanding, it could lead to eventual acceptance, and from there, to practice."

But what does "Integrity in Politics" mean in the first place?

"It means practising politics based on noble values like honesty. It means not being easily swayed by things that go against these values," Isahak said.

"For example, in politics you have elections. A politics of integrity means you adhere to good values — you accept and practise democracy and open competition. You do not abuse your power or authority to sway the results, and you do not use money to buy votes."

Surely these are things that should be obvious to any politician. So will they listen to yet another reminder?

"We don’t preach. We try to create an understanding, for example, on the dangers of money politics.

"What we try to do is to impress upon them just how damaging corruption is to the nation — economically, socially and politically," says Anis Yusal Yusoff, director of the institute’s political sector.

Isahak says past incidents of money politics and other corrupt practices in the political sphere created an impression by some that such practices were acceptable.

"Some feel it’s okay because others are doing it, some do it because others do it. So let’s put it across just how wrong such practices are.

"For example, we all know our country needs foreign investment, but what would happen if our Corruption Perception Index — which for many investors is one of the few basic pieces of information they have of us — doesn’t improve? They won’t come here, which in the end will be bad for everyone."

Datuk Zambry Abd Kadir, Umno’s Lumut division chief who was among those present at the seminar, says the programme is a welcome move, but he throws in a caution: A "holier than thou" attitude is only going to alienate the target audience.

"You’re talking about a group of people — such as division chiefs — who operate in a political terrain they know very, very well, and to some of them, these concepts are not something very important.

"So when you talk to them about things like noble values and moral fibre, the approach must be right, or else they’re going to get cynical."

The programme is part of Malaysia’s wider push for integrity, a key feature of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s administration.

It’s so far led, among other things, to the establishment of the institute — a brainchild of Abdullah set up less than three years ago — whose job is to co-ordinate the implementation of the National Integrity Plan (NIP).

The significance of the NIP, whose implementation is up for a key review in 2008 is this: If it fails, so too will Vision 2020.

"Our leaders say we aim to be a developed nation by the year 2020, a fully industrialised nation in our own mould, which is a balance between economic as well as social and moral well-being," says Isahak.

"If in 2020 we do well economically, but morally we are not, if corruption gets worse, then Malaysia at that time won’t be what we want it to be in the first place," he adds.

Zambry agrees.

"When the government talks of reforms to institutions and the system, one group we need to focus on are politicians — the people who form the government.

"Whether we like it or not, we politicians must accept this," he adds.