Rafidah: Wrong to steal period, doesn't matter if a person is caught

Former cabinet minister and veteran politician Rafidah Aziz today lambasted the logic employed by Tanjong Karang MP Noh Omar, who last year told the parliament that there is nothing wrong with stealing unless one gets caught.

Speaking at a forum on anti-corruption in Putrajaya, she said an offence is still an offence whether the offender gets caught or not.

"There is someone who said that stealing is only wrong when you are caught. Aiyo, how is this (logical)?" she said.

Rafidah was speaking about corruption in politics when she touched about Noh's remarks, which he made in the parliament April last year.

"Stealing is wrong. Period. Whether it gets discovered or not. He doesn't know the difference between right and wrong.

"This like when you run a red light, whether there is another road user or not, it is still wrong.

"If there happens to be a cyclist and then you hit the cyclist (when running the red light), does it only make it wrong when the cyclist dies?"

Approached by reporters after the event later, Rafidah explained that the right values should be inculcated in the people.

She said that good values could prevent an individual from getting involved in wrongdoings like corruption.

"If we have the understanding, then it would be easier for us to prevent (corruption). Easier for our next generations to understand that we need to put in efforts instead of taking shortcuts. This is about values.

"If an MP has that kind of understanding, then what would happen? It's like we are telling our children that it is okay to steal at school as long as they do not get caught by their teachers," she said.

Meanwhile, during the forum, Rafidah also mooted an idea of a "National Corruption Circuit Breaker", which she said the country could employ to stop corruption.

According to her, the circuit breaker is a composite of many factors that include inculcating the understanding, educative process and also setting up of firewalls to prevent corrupt practices.

Among the elements in the plan that Rafidah suggested include weeding out and penalising those who are corrupt; nurturing and forging good values across the board in Malaysian society; and to develop an anti-corruption culture and attitude in the country.

She added that the circuit breaker is not an overnight solution. - Mkini