The Malaysian Insight

WANTED: Malaysians to fill top positions in the civil service, judicial services, government-linked companies.

Here’s the problem: in a country where the lines between right and wrong have been blurred after decades of easy money, a skewed moral compass and a culture of going with the flow, finding good leaders is proving to be a challenge for Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Daim Zainuddin.

So, what does the Mahathir administration do?

The prime minister, in an interview with Financial Times, ruled out a root-and-branch operation. He painted an ugly picture of a civil service infected with corruption, but noted that his government will have to work with some tainted individuals.

He is right.

Idealism and determination to clean up the mess must be tempered with pragmatism – and mercy.

Also, he has a short time to clean up the economic mess and breathe life into Malaysia’s moribund institutions. The PM cannot afford to sack the whole chain of command in ministries and GLCs because that would frustrate the implementation of his agenda.

The fact is, not everyone who was part of the Najib Razak administration or the preceding Barisan Nasional governments deserves the chop.

On the must-go list are senior civil servants who lived way beyond their means, who not only facilitated the corrupt practices of the Najib regime, but also blacklisted those who didn’t play ball‎, and who, over time, sounded and behaved like BN politicians.

Also on this list of who should be sacked or sidelined are individuals who thought the rule of law was an alien concept, who actively helped decimate the Royal Malaysia Police, the judiciary, the judicial system and other institutions.

The Mahathir administration should also put to pasture individuals who were given plum positions in GLCs because they were BN lackeys.

In short, those who played key roles in putting Malaysia in an abyss of despair, desolation and depravity should be given the boot.

Those civil servants and GLC executives who just went with the flow, or who were peripheral players, should be given a chance to redeem themselves and help rebuild the country.

Of all people, Dr Mahathir should understand mercy and redemption.

In spite of his baggage and legacy issues, he was given a second chance on May 9 by Malaysians. – May 30, 2018.