PETALING JAYA: A prominent social activist has warned that failure to create awareness on the ills of corruption in the upcoming generation may cause decay and destruction to the growth of
the country.

Former MP Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the future of Malaysia lies in schools as children should not only be taught to excel academically but also in character and integrity.

He said the Education Ministry should work closely with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to develop a programme on anti-corruption in the school curriculum.

Lee added that Malaysia has a serious problem and a poor image in the eyes of the rest of the world following the high number of corruption cases, especially involving politicians.

He said with widespread corruption in the country, it would be an uphill task to educate and bring awareness of the evils of graft to the current generation, but there was hope for the upcoming generation if such education is made a subject in schools.

“It is very timely and MACC is the best agency to work with to devise this programme since it has the expertise. Merely doing well academically is not sufficient. Look at those caught committing graft, they are highly educated but are corrupted.

“Children as young as those in Standard One should be infused with noble values and taught the ills of graft as these are the years they can absorb such knowledge,” Lee said.

“We must bring out the best in them not just academically, but also in integrity. The future lies in schools, where character-building must be included throughout the years
of education.

“It is the right thing to do. With this, we will see a new generation of individuals with integrity and hopefully, we will at least reduce corruption if not eradicate it.

“Corruption is draining the country’s coffers and the public is fed up with it.”

Lee also said education would be incomplete without character building, that develops integrity, honesty, discipline and compassion.

He added that the country would continue to decline in growth if corruption is allowed to continue manifesting.

“Look at those who are getting arrested for corruption. They hold titles and are from the top echelons. They should be setting good examples for youth to follow but do otherwise.

“Politicians claim to be leaders of the people but they get involved in corrupt practices. What kind of a leadership are they portraying?“

Lee was responding to a report in theSun on Thursday on a proposal to introduce a corruption awareness programme in the syllabus of primary schools as suggested by two academicians from Universiti Sains Malaysia – former honorary associate professor and criminologist Datuk Dr P. Sundramoorthy and director of policy research and international studies Assoc Prof Dr Azeem Fazwan Ahmad Farouk.

This article first appeared on theSun. Photo used on this post is from SUNPIX.