Support our new king's resolve to fight corruption

When it comes to fighting corruption, all of us must surely be glad whenever our leaders declare their resolve to fight the evil scourge of corruption.

Beyond the practical consequences, fighting corruption is a moral and ethical imperative. It reflects a commitment to justice, fairness, and the well-being of society as a whole.

In democratic societies, corruption undermines the principles of accountability, transparency and citizen participation. When leaders are corrupt, the democratic process is compromised and the voice of the people is often stifled.

The battle against graft, and indeed against any crime, requires the support and cooperation of the people at large. We must support any action of our government to eradicate corruption.

Efforts to combat corruption often involve a combination of legal reforms, institutional strengthening, awareness campaigns and international cooperation.

Anwar Ibrahim started reasonably well as prime minister 14 months ago. What resonates with me, and I believe many Malaysians too, was his quest to fight corruption.

The prime minister’s detractors have alleged that his anti-corruption drive was mere sound bites but surely, the recent charges against several prominent personalities would prove that the man was serious.

If the prime minister wants to put things right by bringing the corrupt to justice and restitute what had been looted from our national coffers, we should give him and his government our full support.

Today, Anwar must be truly elated to know that the incoming Yang di-Pertuan Agong is also a vocal graft buster and he had already made known his intention to help the Anwar administration in that direction.

Working together

Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar will ascend the throne at Istana Negara in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 31 as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong and reign for five years.

I’m not sure whether any other incoming king has received so much public attention as Sultan Ibrahim.

Over the past weeks, we would have read something about the Johor ruler or viewed videos of his speeches and other activities every other day. I can only expect some interesting times ahead with the new king in charge.

What most of us would surely like to see is the prime minister and the king working closely together in the interest of the people and nation.

This has been assured by Sultan Ibrahim himself. In an interview with The Star in March last year, the Johor ruler said he has been able to work well with Anwar as prime minister, compared to any past heads of the Malaysian government.

He told the paper that he was able to get along better with Anwar as they regularly exchanged views through meetings and phone calls, especially about his ideas for Johor’s development.

“We consult each other and exchange ideas on how we can develop the state better,” Sultan Ibrahim was quoted as saying.

What I pay most attention to is the sultan’s statement that the Anwar administration must live up to the high expectations Malaysians have of them to get rid of corruption, which he described as a “cancer”.

He said the current federal government must work harder and not give excuses to root out the disease after being appointed to power.

“Malaysia’s reputation has suffered because of corruption. We need to get rid of this cancer,” the sultan said.

Sultan Ibrahim’s vow to eradicate corruption as one of his key priorities when he is installed as the 17th Yang di-Pertuan Agong must have our unwavering commitment and support.

Yes, I think it only makes sense that all of us strongly back the new king’s resolve to battle corruption. Yes, we need to help get rid of this cancer.

Joy for Johoreans

Meanwhile, Johoreans are buzzing, beaming with joy and pride as Sultan Ibrahim’s inauguration looms.

I must thank my dear friend, Dr KN Singh, for sharing a recent issue of apakhabartv, a Johor-based news portal, where Johoreans have expressed their joy and admiration for their future king.

This goes to show the deep respect and love for Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar.

Among other things, Johoreans have described their ruler as a firm believer in Bangsa Johor, a concept aimed at promoting greater unity among people in the state.

Sultan Ibrahim was also said to be strict or stern but warm-hearted with an amiable personality, a good sense of humour and a love for cooking.

Singh, a consultant gynaecologist at the Specialist Women’s Hospital in Johor Bahru, said he had known His Highness since the time he was the crown prince of Johor.

“He was always kind and spoke his mind and the sultan cares for his people of all races,” he said.

The sultan, he said, may come across as abrupt to some but those who know him will realise that he is a man of a few words and will always get his point across.

Not mincing his words, Singh portrayed His Highness as being very transparent and would use the same yardstick he uses for Malaysians as he does for the Johoreans.

Singh believes that Bangsa Johor will be translated to Bangsa Malaysia after five years when the sultan’s term ends.

My reaction to Singh’s comments: “Well spoken. Hope the next king lives up to your expectations.”

The good doctor replied: “He has no choice really!” - Mkini

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FRANCIS PAUL SIAH is a veteran Sarawak editor and heads the Movement for Change, Sarawak (MoCS). He can be reached at sirsiah@gmail.com.

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