Depravity knows no bounds
It is wrong to counter accusations of corruption, wastage, incompetence, lack of transparency and abuse of power by claiming others too are doing the same thing.
By TK Chua
Malaysian politics today remind me of a common remark we use when arguing with others – “If you had not stared at me, how do you know I stared at you?”
Ultimately, the argument was about who was staring at whom first; it does not matter that both were staring at each other to begin with. But usually we would know in our heart who was more culpable in initiating trouble.
So also are politicians in Malaysia today. If one of them is accused of corruption and abuse of power, the simple response is that the accuser too is engaged in corrupt practices.
Lim Guan Eng has a corruption case pending against him and with that, he is deemed unfit to comment or criticise corruption anymore. He has lost his “credibility”, so to speak.
When the father of Lim Guan Eng criticised the existence of rampant corruption and asked those involved to resign, his opponents told him to ask his son to resign first. Never mind that Lim Guan Eng was already charged while those accused/implicated of mega pilferage and corruption all over the world are still roaming free and still enjoying or exercising power with impunity.
When some politicians champion environmental issues, their opponents turn around and accuse Penang of becoming less green. But then which part of the country today has become greener? What about the bauxite mining in Pahang? The yellow flood in Kelantan? And the harvesting of timber in Kedah?
When Penang dished out some major projects, all kinds of accusations were hurled against the state government, from overpricing, lack of transparency to exorbitant consultancy fees.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye”? Have we not seen massive government assets siphoned off and put in GLCs to circumvent government regulations and oversights?
I cannot rationalise what politicians are doing anymore. It is wrong to counter accusations of corruption, wastage, incompetence, lack of transparency and abuse of power by claiming others too are doing the same thing. That is nonsensical.
When allegations are made, it is the job of that person to extricate himself. He must explain and answer the allegations, not by accusing others of the same. Are they saying corruption and abuse of power are acceptable so long as others too are involved?
I guess this is how depraved we have become as a nation.
TK Chua is an FMT reader.
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