Firm stance needed to crack down on corruption in nation, says activist

KUCHING (Jan 27): Malaysia must find the moral courage to enforce its existing laws against corruption if it is serious about safeguarding its future, said Saya Anak Sarawak (SAS) founder Peter John Jaban.

Jaban, who is also a member of the Anti-Corruption Watch Movement, said the repeated warnings by both the former Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and his successor Sultan Ibrahim highlighted the grave threat posed by corruption and the urgent need to eradicate it in the country.

He said the royal warnings must translate into immediate and concrete action with no special treatment for corrupt officials, proportionate punishment, real protection for whistleblowers, and institutional reforms that place integrity at the core of governance.

“While we fully support His Majesty’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.

“Malaysia does not lack laws. Malaysia lacks the courage to enforce the truth,” he said.

Touching on governance issues within the defence sector, Jaban said the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) now faced a critical test following the installation of new leadership, adding that the moment demanded decisive action rather than symbolic change.

He said recent governance and procurement failures did not occur overnight but were the result of prolonged neglect, silence and leadership inaction.

According to Peter, public patience had worn thin, with explanations such as “legacy issues” or “systemic complexity” no longer convincing in the absence of accountability.

“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,” he added.