It’s not the Malays at fault, it’s the system that failed

YOURSAY | ‘Zaid, you have not mentioned that they have found a new ‘religion’ - money.’

‘Why is Najib still PM?’

Kingfisher: This is a telling insight of defects in fundamental moral values of the Malay community by former minister Zaid Ibrahim, one of its brightest and boldest.

There may be many of his kind in his community but most could be subdued by an inbred value system that condones what is obviously unethical behaviour by any reference to civilised benchmarks.

Others who have interacted with this community over long periods, even in intimate friendship, may have had some suspicions that there is something lacking within the community for an in-depth appreciation and commitment to universal benchmarks as it pertains to property rights and the legitimate acquisition of wealth with decent, hard work.

For a people assumed to be fine and graceful in many character traits, this grievous flaw, as stated by Zaid, is most unfortunate for nation-building.

RR: Dear Zaid, this article is really hard-hitting, but we know most Malays fear God and are simple and humble.

You should not have generalised all Malays in your frustration in facing the sins committed by many Malay politicians for their own selfishness and greed. Yes, it hurts all Malaysians.

Perhaps, on reading this article, the silent majority of Malays will wake up to see justice done soon.

Benghazi: I disagree with Zaid's generalisation that Malays can tolerate corruption and stealing.

Najib Razak is still PM because the post has become so powerful that he's able to sack key officials, stall every kind of investigation on him, and has allegedly acquired huge sums of money illegally.

What can the ordinary Malay do to oust him? Even Umno bigwigs are unable to, or would not dare, to oust Najib.

Former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad created this Frankenstein and even he cannot bring his monster down.

Ahlil Kubur: That Najib is still PM has nothing to do with the Malays. It is the system that failed. Most of it has become corrupted or is run by corrupt people. How can we change this?

A good system will not allow people to make mistakes, what more to commit corrupt practices.

Najib has to go, but if we don’t improve the existing system, it will be very difficult for the next in line to manage our already corrupted system.

Now let’s take one system that is already corrupted, the election mechanism. Is there a way we can improve the system, for example, how to manage and track the candidates' spending in election campaigns? None? So how?

Anonymous 2345291440129840: Unfortunately, the opposition is using a Western approach in confronting the problem.

Use Islamic terminology instead. For example, recite the authentic hadith of the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) - the taker and giver of bribes will land in hell.

Another example, bribe versus ‘hadiah’ - if a government officer sitting at home without any important position can get the same ‘donation’, then it is a gift. If he cannot, it is a bribe.

Mushiro: The stand of Malay PKR leaders and leaders of the newly-formed Amanah on corruption and embezzlement is clear. These were the leaders, including PKR’s Rafizi Ramli and DAP’s Tony Pua, who exposed 1MDB.

It is true that PKR is holding on to the Selangor government with PAS. This is better than abandoning Selangor to Umno and PAS. It is tough to change the Malays’ mentality, but it is surely changing.

Anonymous #70881335: Like everything else, political leadership and power in this country have to go back to basics once again.

Once Umno was filled with teachers and village elders who cared more for the country than themselves.

But after independence, came prosperity and umpteen opportunities for corruption. Then, the Umno membership too evolved to self-seeking, self-glorifying greedy individuals.

There lies the problem. Can we find an honest, upright leader among today’s Umno members? Your guess is as good as mine.

Abasir: The ‘punishment’ that awaits this hopelessly comatosed community so accurately described by Zaid is gradual annihilation, even as it mindlessly chants "demi bangsa, agama dan negara" right till the end.

Aktan: Zaid, you are one of the enlightened intellectuals who has spoken the truth about the Malay DNA. You have correctly described why Malays are amenable to corruption without conscience.

The government has ‘abused’ them through the New Economic Policy (NEP) and thus the Malays have been conditioned to take shamelessly without making any effort or on their own merits. So how can they now bite the hands that fed them?

The country shall correct itself when there is nothing left to be plundered (aka bankrupt) and this is the reason Najib shall continue to be in power.

Zaid, you have not mentioned that they have found a new ‘religion’ - money.

-Mkini