When corruption is the norm, not the exception

 

Kuala Lumpur was recently shaken by revelations surrounding a well-known massage centre network allegedly paying up to RM2.7 million a year in protection money to enforcement officers.

What matters is not the nature of the business, but what the case exposes. Corruption here was not incidental. It appears to have been organised, sustained, and enabled from within parts of the system meant to enforce the law.

The investigation uncovered more than alleged bribes. It revealed a structure.

A two-layer accounting system was reportedly used, with a large portion of cash sales kept off the books.

The estimated tax leakage alone runs into millions each year. Payments were not described as one-off incidents. They were allegedly routine, intended to smooth permit approvals, avoid disruption, and keep operations running.

This is no longer about one syndicate. It raises serious questions about how enforcement mechanisms themselves can be compromised.

Déjà vu

What is alarming is how familiar this pattern feels.

Just weeks earlier, the country was confronted with allegations involving senior figures at the highest levels of the armed forces. That episode alone should have challenged any lingering belief that corruption is confined to low-ranking officers or peripheral agencies.

When misconduct reaches institutions linked to national security, the issue goes beyond administration. It becomes a matter of national integrity.

This is why recent actions taken by the prime minister carry weight. The government has shown a willingness to allow investigations to proceed without interference, regardless of rank or uniform.

Such an approach is not universally welcomed. It unsettles entrenched interests. But that discomfort is precisely why it matters. Corruption survives on silence and protection. When protection is withdrawn, deterrence begins to take root.

It’s all connected

At this point, focusing only on individual cases is no longer sufficient. It is time to examine the system as a whole. Every department, without exception, must be open to scrutiny.

Corruption does not operate in isolation. It functions as a chain. One officer shields another. One department learns from the habits of another. When one link is exposed, others often move quickly to protect themselves.

It is also an open secret that in some departments, recruitment practices have long been questioned. Many ordinary Malaysians are aware of this reality, even if it is rarely acknowledged publicly.

ADS

Positions appear to circulate within families, relatives, and closed networks. Connections can outweigh merit. When access narrows, accountability weakens. When accountability weakens, misconduct becomes normalised.

This is not mere speculation. Similar patterns have been identified within enforcement institutions over the years. 

I am reminded of a remark once made by Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay during his tenure as Johor police chief.

He spoke of noticing officers, barely out of training, already driving luxury vehicles. Subsequent checks revealed the existence of regular collections.

This was not a rumour. It reflected an uncomfortable reality. And it was not limited to a single agency. It pointed to a culture that had quietly taken hold across parts of the enforcement landscape.

Drastic measures needed

Recent developments involving the Department of Environment further reinforce this concern. The remand of senior officers, including top leadership and enforcement personnel, in connection with an e-waste investigation, underscores the breadth of the problem.

Corruption does not discriminate by sector. It emerges wherever discretion meets weak oversight.

When environmental enforcement is compromised, pollution worsens. When tax enforcement is undermined, public revenue leaks. When security institutions are affected, the consequences are far more serious.

The damage accumulates over time. It is borne not by those who exploit the system, but by ordinary citizens who face higher costs, poorer living conditions, and eroded trust.

This is why this moment matters.

Corruption in Malaysia has moved beyond isolated wrongdoing. It shows signs of becoming systemic.

Confronting it requires more than arrests. It demands structural courage. Investigating entire departments. Breaking recruitment patronage. Preventing the quiet replacement of compromised officers with their protégés.

Above all, restoring the principle that public service is a trust, not an entitlement.

The public is no longer naive. The rakyat recognise patterns. They see how cases repeat, how money circulates, how silence protects. They also recognise when a government allows institutions to act without fear or favour.

This fight will not be easy. It will not be quick. But it must be comprehensive.

Corruption that has spread this far cannot be treated as an exception. It must be confronted as a system. And systems are only dismantled when no one is considered untouchable. - Mkini

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MAHATHIR MOHD RAIS is a former Federal Territories Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional secretary. He is now a PKR member.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.