Sultan Nazrin said crimes linked to corruption, criminal breach of trust, the leakage of public resources, cronyism, and abuse of power were reported on an almost daily basis.
He added that the annual Auditor General’s Report continued to expose serious weaknesses in the management of public funds, both failures to comply with financial standards and regulations as well as questionable practices.
Worse still, such illicit acts often occurred in collusion with enforcement officers, he said.
He said that a year before the NIP was launched, Malaysia ranked 37th out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index.
But in 2024, two decades later, Malaysia had fallen 20 places to 57th position, while its lowest ranking in history – 61st place – was recorded in both 2018 and 2022, he said.
Sultan Nazrin said the NIP was launched “with noble intent” by then prime minister, the late Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
The plan listed five key objectives: to reduce corruption, misconduct, and abuse of power; to enhance efficiency in public service delivery and overcome bureaucratic obstacles; to strengthen corporate governance and business ethics; to reinforce the family institution; and to improve the quality of life and overall well-being of society.
“Such was the noble vision of a leader, and the lofty hope of a statesman. Yet, 21 years after the launch, a disheartening gap remains. In fact, the divide between aspiration and reality has only widened,” he said when officiating the National Integrity Month in Ipoh.
He said Malaysia should heed the warnings of history in matters of integrity, citing the fall of Melaka to the Portuguese in 1511 which he said was not solely the result of foreign invasion, but also enabled by betrayal from within.
Historical accounts showed that weak administration, internal power struggles, and treachery among some leaders opened the door for foreign domination, he added.
“Every individual entrusted with responsibility – whether in government, private sector, politics, religious institutions, volunteer organisations, welfare, or sports – must regard history as a guide.
“The philosopher George Santayana famously said ‘those who cannot learn from history are condemned to repeat it’.”