Times are a-changin’

THE rule of law is the buzzword now and is slowly but surely making its way to all levels of the corporate scene.

This means that technically, the best and most efficient companies should get the contracts, and leakages as a result of corruption should be minimised, if not plugged completely. While changes will definitely not happen overnight, at the very least, there is now a greater sense of awareness on the issues of governance, competitiveness and integrity, with corporates taking a leaf out of Pakatan Harapan’s books.

The benefits of this are great and should filter all the way down the value chain. For one, when corporate companies don’t need to pay their way through to get jobs, they should have more money in their coffers, which then allows them to reward shareholders, reinvest the money or just save for a rainy day!

It’s been long enough that Malaysian companies have gotten flak for being jaguh kampungs with no more than local “connections” to shout about. By operating in an environment which rewards genuine hard work and capabilities, perhaps this viewpoint can change.

To be sure, not all Malaysian companies are perceived in a negative light. There are many that have made their way overseas and have done well – but as they say, a few rotten apples spoil the whole barrel.

Malaysia’s corporate culture is at the cusp of change, the good kind. We have already demonstrated that we can be a model of democracy for others, especially in this region.

Having said that, change is only sustainable when everyone plays their part.