Give them crutches, they’ll ask for wheelchairs

YOURSAY ‘If there is no reason to bribe, why would the practice flourish?’

Kadir Jasin: Why get upset with Dr M?

Cocomomo: Those who take bribes ensure there are hurdles such that business people feel coerced to give bribes or their business may suffer.

If proper procedures are followed and approvals are given promptly, if all applicable conditions have been met, why would businessmen feel forced to give bribes?

Bribe takers should be charged with blackmail for effectively forcing business to give bribes. However, if bribes are given because requirements have not been met, the bribe giver should also be punished.

Both bribe giving and taking are wrong. If all government officers are men and women of integrity who really follow the teachings of their religion, would they take bribes? Have religious and moral teachings also failed?

Fairperson: Former top news editor A Kadir Jasin, don't make sweeping statements. You gave the impression that all Malays are bribe takers and non-Malays are bribe givers. This is absurd. If the law is properly enforced, both must go to jail.

Abasir: "Malays who accept bribes end up in jail, the Chinese and Indians who give bribes face no action...," said Kadir.

That is because the Umno government loves Chinese and Indians and hates Malays. Right, Kadir?

Anonymous #55961902: What made them think that only Malays take bribes and Chinese and Indians are the givers?

Corruption is colour and race-blind. Only Umno looks at corruption through its myopic racial lens.

In the olden times, "giving" money was considered as an inducement to get things done.

Nowadays the corruptors demand it as if we owe them a living. People have no choice but to give in to them, otherwise nothing gets be done.

Vijay47: Kadir, you and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad may have a point there.

It's the evil Chinese and Indians who invented the art of giving bribes in Malaysia and placing temptation before the poor innocent Malays and in the process, leading them to the dark side. 
Actually, resolving this massive problem does not require rocket science and is quite simple. Just make sure that government servants do their jobs as they are paid to do and that files move as they are supposed to, not mysteriously disappear and just as mysteriously reappear when certain ‘papers’ change hands. 

You may not believe it but some countries are known to not only survive but indeed thrive without benefit of the corruption scourge. Try it, Kadir, you might like the taste.

Jega Muthu: I have many Malay friends and also met Malays who are excellent in what they do. Some of the best doctors are Malays. Most work hard and are far from lazy.

The government’s policies are to blame as meritocracy has taken second place. When you just give and give, you make people, whatever the race, lazy. When money is easy to come, why work hard?

Doc: Scientifically, two factors determine racial dominance:

1) Genes - which are inherited.

2) Environmental - harsh environmental factors improves mental steadfastness and resolve.

I disagree with Kadir’s analogy, "Give them crutches and they turn it into oars and pillars."

Umno-BN’s spoon feeding of the Malay race in the form of the NEP (New Economic Policy) along with other handouts has certainly lightened the burden of the "environmental factors" for them.

Unfortunately this has come at a price. It has made them less resolute. Unable to break free from the many handouts, the Malays have become too dependent on the government and weak in overcoming a multitude of barriers - economically, socially, politically, educationally, etc.

Frankly, I am not sure if this wasn’t Umno's grand plan to ensure total dependence of the Malay race on it.

So Kadir, "Give them crutches and they will ask for electric wheelchairs" is more apt and this is why Dr M has called Malays "lazy".

Thana55: It’s time that the giver and taker are jailed if bribery is proved. I have felt for a long time that the Chinese business people have been equally responsible for the corruption problem in this country.

How else can he get to convert a playground to a 20-storey building? How else can he pass the traffic impact assessment?

Let's get real and corner all the culprits. Kadir has opened the can of worms and let's get all the worms out.

Anon1: Kadir, if 90 percent of the civil service is made up of Malays, then it makes sense why most of the bribery and cheating cases involve the Malays, right?

In every 20 cases, 18 would be Malays and two would be non-Malays. Simple math. Don't racialise statistics with your gibberish.

Hang Tuah PJ: Kadir, that is seditious. You can call your own race whatever you like but not the non-Malays.

Swipenter: It is strange, mysterious and even disquieting that the most ardent and vociferous champions and defenders of the Malays are seen to be in agreement and defending Mahathir over his "lazy Malay" remark, whereas his harshest critics are flaking him for it.

Malaysia really ‘boleh’.

Sabahan: Strange that Kadir says this: "Many Malays have carved a name for themselves and are living comfortably abroad."

This begs the question: "Why do those who carved a name for themselves have to go and live abroad?" -Mkini