Taking up the mantle to drum up anti-corruption
We need to empower communities to say no to corrupt practices, says Hussamuddin.
REALISING moral decay has led to more corruption practices taking place, media owner Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub has taken it upon himself to start a “graftbusters movement” called “RasuahBusters”.
The Karangkraf Media Group chairman says he believes there is an urgent need to sow the seeds of good morals in the Malaysian society.
He explains that the campaign called “RasuahBusters” was formed, and financed, by him in its initial stages as he is tired of the endless corruption practices such as cronyism, nepotism, blackmail, fund abuse, power abuse that are becoming too common at all levels of society, especially among politicians.
“It is time we citizens take up the call to sow the moral values within ourselves and within our society. One need not be religious to have good moral values as dictated by all religions in the world.
“When we practise corruption or bribery, we are robbing someone else’s rights or cheating someone else off their opportunity by jumping the queue. It is never right to rob someone else, neither is it ever right to cheat someone else. One must never shortchange others,” says Hussammuddin, who has been in the media business for four decades now.
Malaysians seem to be getting the raw deal, he adds, stressing that we cannot allow corrupt politicians who are felled to be replaced by other corrupt ones.
“RasuahBusters intends to educate and nurture the need for people to conform to the good values as I believe there is a willing and silent majority out there who wants to see the end of corruption practices in our society.
“At this point of time, we have come to such a stage that any business we venture into, we are forced to pay someone somewhere quietly to get things done. Many are forced to pay in protest or they can never do their business. This is the silent majority which is protesting in their hearts.
“I have an amplifier – as Sinar Harian newspaper is currently the Malay paper with the largest circulation and as Malays are the majority of this country, and they are the readers, I believe this RasuahBusters will resonate if I shout it out loud enough.
“I have to say since I started a month ago, although I targeted the Malays, I have also received much support from other races – just pure Malaysians who hate corrupt practices,” says Hussamuddin.
He says at the moment his main aim is to rope in parents: “We want parents to plant the anti-corruption seeds in their children, even if they are in their teens, and nurture them so that when they start working, they would say no to corruption and not be tempted easily. There must be shame to be seen to be part of the corrupt.”
Currently, he and his team are developing a structured programme for RasuahBusters, which will be launched in a big way in May, he shares.
“I started this using my own personal funds, but now I have ex-judges and bankers who want to chip in financially. We currently have a few personalities who are part of the RasuahBusters task force, as I cannot do it by myself.
“My main intention is to get the people to return to the their beliefs – as Malaysia is still largely a society with religions. I want this programme to be a catalyst to force the people to revisit how moral values are being taught in religious classes and lectures.”
Noting that there are anti-corruption authorities in charge of nabbing those corrupt, Hussammudin hopes that with RasuahBusters more can be done in terms of educating the masses on the need to say no to bribes, be it in positions or money.
“I admit I am targeting big goals as corrupt practices have become so endemic in our society that many do not think of them as wrong.
“I might not see any results from the
RasuahBusters during my lifetime, but I believe that if I start planting the seeds today and keep pushing these goals, there might just be some hope someday for Malaysia to be less corrupt, especially among those elected to public offices,” says Hussamuddin.
Those interested can also follow updates, get information and materials from www.rasuahbusters.com or through Rasuah Buster’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Interested volunteers can send a WhatsApp message to 019-382 3635 and complaints can be lodged at 019-668 0920. Participants can also track their graft busting activities with the group using the hashtag #RasuahBusters.