We need to know why undergraduates think bribery is OK
A 2007 survey by the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) revealed that a majority of the 1,800 respondents at selected universities felt that it was acceptable to give or receive a bribe. While this tells us that many undergraduates are likely to think that paying or getting a bribe is justified, in the absence of similar polls for the rest of the population, it would be premature to conclude that the young are less ethical than the old.
What we do know from corruption perception surveys and anecdotal evidence is that many older Malaysians who see themselves as law-abiding citizens are just as willing to pay a bribe to get a permit or get off a traffic summons. In fact, this year's Global Fraud Survey by Ernst & Young, which is based on interviews with more than 1,700 senior executives in 43 countries, shows how unwise it is to castigate the undergraduates for their widespread acceptance of corrupt practices. In this regard, as the Global Corruption Barometer which measures the public perception of the government's efforts has increased from 28 per cent in 2009 to 49 per cent last year, it would be interesting to see whether there has been a change in the five-year-old student attitudes following the National Key Result Areas (NKRA) initiatives on corruption.
In a sense, however, regardless of whether that change is positive or negative, we don't have to wait for a new survey to tell us that unless bribery is seen as unjustifiable behaviour, anti-corruption initiatives will be difficult to implement. Indeed, the social and cultural acceptance of greasing the wheels of bureaucracy and business to get things done only creates a vicious cycle which contributes to its intractability. As values influence attitudes, and attitudes drive behaviour, the NKRA Fighting Corruption director D. Ravindran is quite justified in stressing the importance of instilling "positive core values against corruption". However, though this seems a logical place to start changing the tolerant and permissive attitudes towards bribery, it would be wishful thinking to assume that mindsets can be changed by appeals to ethics alone. What we do know from some studies is that people are more inclined to act corruptly not simply because they are less ethical than others but also because the private returns to corruption are high, institutions are weak, the likelihood of getting away with it are high, and the legal consequences of detection are limited. This suggests that we need answers as to why students think bribery is justified before we can begin to change their attitudes.
Safety and security
The onus is on us to keep ourselves and our families safe at all times
PREVENTION, it has always been said, is better than cure. With the recent spate of armed robberies and attacks in neighbourhoods and shopping malls, there is all the more reason why we need to be constantly on our guard. This simply means being alert and being aware of our surroundings. This advice has been repeated all too often but how many of us can honestly say we never take our safety for granted? Yes, we do it for a while when an abduction, rape or mugging happens close to home. We are all eyes and ears for the next few months but we just as easily take safety for granted again and slip into complacency the minute we feel safe.
As law enforcement officers cannot be everywhere every time, the onus is on us to keep ourselves and our families safe. We can avoid becoming a victim by taking simple, sensible precautions such as not walking alone, especially at night or in isolated places; not talking or texting on the phone as you are walking; being aware of your surroundings at all times and looking out for suspicious characters; holding your car keys before heading to your car; and locking your car doors the moment you get in and driving away as soon as you have started the engine. As an added measure, we could also arm ourselves with a can of pepper spray and a whistle.
Simple precautions that we can take at home or in our neighbourhood include switching on the porch and back lights at night, keeping the gate, grille and doors locked at all times, having a spy hole fitted to the front door, teaching our children to not open the door to strangers and even installing an alarm system or a closed-circuit television camera at home, if it's affordable.
Should you find yourself in a vulnerable position, throw your valuables away from you to distract the robber and run to the nearest safe spot or crowd. Experts also advise you to scream "fire" instead of "help" as the former is likely to grab more attention. Residents in housing estates should be encouraged to pool their resources and organise neighbourhood watch patrols. Get to know your neighbours so that you can look out for each other during an emergency. Having the telephone numbers of your immediate neighbours and the nearest police station keyed into your handphone also means that help is a phone call away. It's always better to be safe than sorry.
Better deal for cabbies
THOUGH likening the leasing of taxis to "modern-day slavery", as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak did, may seem a tad harsh, there is no doubt that it reflects the sentiments of cabbies and critics of the current practice of awarding licences to companies rather than individuals.
Cabbies resent the leasing system because they have to spend long hours behind the wheel in all kinds of weather and traffic conditions to pay the rental, cover the running costs and make enough to make ends meet. Unlike most workers, they get none of the fringe benefits and social safety nets like social security coverage, disability insurance or vacations. On the other hand, fleet owners are guaranteed steady earnings regardless of how long cabbies drive or how much money they take in.
For this reason, the policy has long been criticised as a way for rent-seekers to profit while leaving drivers with crumbs and the public with lousy service. Indeed, while there has been an unending litany of complaints about taxi drivers, there is a broad understanding that the root of the problem lies in the system in which they operate. Quite clearly, the underlying motivation for overcharging, non-use of meters, refusal to pick up passengers, reckless driving and the like is financial. As leasing cabs for a flat fee has had a deleterious effect on the quality of service and the incomes and working conditions of taxi drivers, the prime minister has picked the right target for taxi reform.
However, as the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has still to complete its study on the taxi industry, it is not clear whether the radical step of abolishing leasing altogether will be taken. As it is, SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar has said that the "new model" will not affect existing taxi operators but will target cabbies who have been driving for a long time but do not own taxies. Certainly, as Syed Hamid said, not all taxi drivers want to exit the leasing system. Undoubtedly, leasing is a common arrangement in most countries, as is a dual system of taxis owned and maintained by both companies and individuals. For sure, the subsidy for buying tyres and the tax incentives and soft loans for the purchase of taxis are major steps in the right direction. But any serious attempt to improve taxi services and the welfare and well-being of taxi drivers should place more of the industry in the hands of owner-drivers, reduce the role of companies and absentee rentiers, and provide adequate social protection.
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