Malaysia must have the moral courage to enforce the laws against corruption

 

By Peter John Jaban

 Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS) civil movement welcomes and deeply appreciates the firm and consistent stance taken by both the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, and the current Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, on the grave threat posed by corruption and the urgent need to eradicate it in Malaysia.

Peter John Jaban: Malaysia does not lack laws. 

The current King’s warning at the opening of Parliament must translate into immediate and concrete action no special treatment for corrupt officials regardless of rank, proportionate punishment that respects justice, real protection for whistleblowers, and institutional reforms that place integrity at the core of governance.

While we fully support the King’s call for the youth to break the cycle of corruption, it is unjust to demand moral courage from young Malaysians while corrupt behaviour continues to be normalised among elites.

Ultimately, this royal warning is the voice of the nation’s conscience. Development without honour is merely delayed destruction.

If this warning is ignored, the failure lies not with the King or the people, but with those entrusted with power who chose betrayal instead.

Malaysia does not lack laws.

Malaysia lacks the courage to enforce the truth.

Recently, the Sultan of Pahang has made it unequivocally clear that corruption is not a minor offence, but an act of betrayal against the nation, its institutions, and the future of its people.

His reminder that corruption is not a weakness of ordinary citizens, but a crime committed by those in positions of power, exposes an uncomfortable truth Malaysia has long avoided confronting.

This royal message must not be reduced to a moral sermon directed only at the rakyat or the youth. It is a direct and serious warning to political leaders, senior civil servants, and institutional heads entrusted with authority and public trust.

Against this backdrop, the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) now face a defining test. The installation of new leadership must not be treated as a routine change of command or a public relations exercise. It is a moment of reckoning.

Recent governance and procurement failures did not arise overnight, they are the product of years of neglect, entrenched silence, and leadership paralysis.

 These failures persisted not because they were hidden, but because confronting them carried risks that too many were unwilling to take.

Public patience has worn thin. Excuses framed as “legacy issues” or “systemic complexity” no longer persuade a public that has repeatedly seen accountability delayed and responsibility diluted. Leadership is measured by the courage to act when failure is evident. In this context, inaction is not neutrality  it is complicity.

The current leadership of the MAF has a narrow and unforgiving window.

 Within the first 100 days, it must demonstrate genuine reform through transparent audits, firm accountability for past misconduct, decisive action against corruption, and a clear rejection of the culture of fear and impunity.

It must also be acknowledged that cartels operate not only within the Ministry of Defence, but across multiple ministries and government departments. This reality demands zero tolerance, not selective enforcement.

Cartels are not confined to the Ministry of Defence. They run deep across multiple ministries and government departments, and the public will no longer tolerate silence or selective accountability.

 The greatest damage to Malaysia does not come from the poor or the powerless, but from those who were sworn to uphold the law and instead chose to abuse it.

Corruption is not merely a legal violation. It is a moral crime and an institutional cancer. It destroys public confidence, undermines social justice, and robs future generations of opportunity.

 When those tasked with enforcing the law manipulate it for personal gain, the crisis is no longer about policy gaps or procedural weaknesses it is a collapse of courage, integrity, and accountability within the system itself. - Jan 27, 2026

Editor's note: Peter John Jaban is the founder of Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS) civil movement, a member of Ant-Corruption Watch Movement and deputy president of the Global Human Rights Federation (Malaysia)