KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has likened corruption to a mental illness, emphasising the need for a transformative approach focused on healing the mind rather than solely addressing its external manifestations.
Sarawak MACC chief Datuk Mohd Zaki Hassan said the belief that arresting or removing corrupt individuals, while necessary, may fall short of creating lasting change with broad societal impacts.
"Corruption is a mental illness, and I believe that 'healing the mind rather than fighting it directly' will go a long way. Arresting corrupt individuals or simply removing corrupt individuals who have far-reaching social effects will not be sufficient. If it was that simple, most people would be healed.
"Corruption must be removed from the mind. The only proven method to change yourself is to change your mind," he said at the 2023 International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) held at Swinburne University of Technology in Sarawak.
He said corruption involves major crimes that can affect the social and economic progress of society as it distorts the economy, encourages lawlessness, and shifts income from the poor to the rich.
"If there is corruption, we all have to pay.
"According to the World Economic Forum, corruption increases the cost of doing business by up to 10 per cent on average. Today, the world faces some of the most significant problems in many generations, concerns that threaten the economy and global stability. Most of them are affected by the epidemic of corruption," he added.
Zaki also said corruption certainly has a negative influence on all aspects of society and is closely related to conflict and instability, affecting social and economic growth in addition to threatening democratic institutions and the rule of law.
"Corruption is not just a by-product of war, but it is often one of its main causes. It exacerbates conflict and stifles the peace process by undermining the rule of law, exacerbating poverty, allowing the illegal use of resources, and financing armed conflict," he said.
This International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) programme is a follow-up to the United Nations statement in 2003 through the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) that designates Dec 9 as IACD commemoration day.
This initiative is implemented throughout the state by zones at the MACC level and will culminate on Dec 9, in Kuala Lumpur.