Saturday 12 May 2007

Can corruption be totally prevented?

Corruption is a dysfunction in the political system whereby public officials seek illegitimate personal gain. It is possible to minimize but not totally eliminate it in any country. Take for example, in Singapore; known to be corrupt-free, had a case of corruption. The NKF issue is an example of corruption; however it is the way the government deals with the issue that distinguishes us from our Asian counterparts.
The backbone of the country is the government; corruption must not invade and spread within the government. If that occurs, then the whole government would not be able to function efficiently. As a result, the people would suffer. Corruption can be prevented through the following ways.

Corruption usually arises from greed of a high-ranking official or even the leader of the country. In such a case, the subordinates of these officials would also follow suit. This is due to the fact corruption in a government could be seen as a domino effect when a trigger would lead to the fall of many others. For example, if a key government official or even the President were to pocket state funds, many others would follow suit, this would even lead to immigration officers extorting money from returning countrymen.

A solution would be to set the minimum pay for ministers to be a reasonable sum to recognise the work and effort they put in to lead the country, in such a way, they are less likely to turn to corruption to obtain money they feel they deserve. It also crucial to attract talented people to be trained as future leaders of the country, as they would have the capability to lead the country to greater heights. However, many would consider the pay as to whether it sufficient to lead a comfortable life with the pay they draw. One such reason is that holding a key position in a multi-national corporation could provide the same person more earnings as compared to the job as a minister.