LANGKAWI: An increasing number of Malaysian university students say they would be willing to accept or offer bribes were they in a position of power, a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) study has revealed.
MACC chief commissioner Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad said the Corruption Prevention Action Effectiveness Perception Study, conducted last year, showed that 16 per cent of 1,000 university students who participated in the study had admitted their willingness to accept or offer bribes if they had the opportunity or power.
"The figure is worrying, as the same study in 2015 showed that only 10.7 per cent would accept or offer bribes, while in 2014, it was 11.3 per cent," he said when delivering a keynote address at a Holistic Graduate Seminar organised by Universiti Malaysia Perlis, the Higher Education Ministry and the MACC here.
According to the study, 18.2 per cent of the students are prepared to offer bribes to avoid penalties, compared to 17.4 per cent in 2015.
Dzulkifli said the younger generation, especially university students, should stand firm with the MACC to stamp out corruption in the country.
"University students should join forces with the MACC," he said, adding that 2,000 MACC officers will be going to the ground throughout the country under the Anti-Corruption Revolution Movement on Monday.
"The MACC will be the moving agent for the revolutionary movement to fight the abuse of power and corruption (and make it) the number one agenda of the country," Dzulkifli added -- Bernama