Corruption: The biggest threat to developing economies

By Geoff Colvin, senior editor at large

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FORTUNE -- "We're thinking of pulling out of Brazil," the CEO of a large American corporation told me a week ago. The company has been operating there for a few years, doing several million dollars of business. The problem? A series of court judgments so inexplicable, and so crushingly expensive, that the CEO doubts his ability to manage the business. He doesn't see how the rulings can be honest -- even former President Luiz Lula da Silva called Brazil's judiciary a "black box" that's "untouchable" -- and if the system doesn't work, this CEO is bailing out.



This is corruption, a problem we'd rather not think about that now threatens the ascension of developing countries into the top tier of world economies. Given its history, optimism on the subject would be foolish. But while the media and Wall Street focus on more tractable issues like inflation and exchange rates, world leaders seem perfectly clear on the greatest threat to the future of the BRICs and other emerging economies. Corruption is the "biggest threat to China," Premier Wen Jiabao told the National People's Congress in March. When U.S. Vice President Joe Biden visited Russia recently, he cited corruption as the No. 1 impediment to better economic relations and pointedly mentioned Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who died in custody in 2009 after accusing the police of corruption.

The Rakyat knows the truth:


Selepas Tsunami (After the Tsunami) from Pusat KOMAS on Vimeo.

http://www.africaeconomicanalysis.org/articles/gen/corruptiondikehtm.html
A warning to us in Malaysia!

The problem is not just the petty palm greasing that's common worldwide, though that has its own corrosive effects. Developing-market corruption has reached staggering dimensions. India's telecom ministry apparently siphoned $30 billion from various projects over the past few years. A Russian activist posted online documents apparently showing a $4 billion fraud in a state-run company's trans-Siberian pipeline project. In China a minister overseeing the new high-speed-rail network is accused of skimming $152 million (and maintaining 18 mistresses). The threat is broader than it may seem: Corruption discourages the investments needed for economic progress. In India "high-level corruption and scams are now threatening to derail the country's credibility and [its] economic boom," says a report from KPMG.

The societal effects are subtler and arguably worse. Initiative and ambition shrivel: Why try hard when effort isn't the source of success? Respect for authority evaporates. Anger and resentment build, especially as a society becomes richer and the gulf between ordinary citizens and the officially tolerated crooks grows wider. When Premier Wen declared corruption the biggest threat to China, he wasn't talking about its effect on foreign investors; he's worried about "social stability." He knows that while massive corruption isn't the only grievance of the revolutionaries in North Africa and the Middle East, it's a big one.

Many people shrug at corruption because they figure it's eternal and incurable. Not so. England was deeply corrupt in the 17th century, Sweden in the 19th, notes professor Michael Johnston of Colgate University, a corruption expert. Singapore and Hong Kong virtually eradicated corruption in a generation. Still, reform is extraordinarily hard, he says, especially in big economies where "huge stakes are on the table." Reform "can degenerate into political payback" by the reformers. Where to begin? "One of the best predictors of whether a society will do well on corruption is the strength of property rights," Johnston says. "That's not a bad place to start."

An insidious feature of corruption is that it's hard to talk about. I can't identify the CEO who's thinking of leaving Brazil because doing so could imperil his company's ability to operate there. More generally, accusing people in power is inherently dangerous. Graft operates in the dark. So, like the man looking for his keys under a lamppost not because he lost them there but because the light is better, we focus on economic issues that are rich with statistics and susceptible to math. But we're missing a giant danger. It's naive to think the recent official attention to corruption will amount to much. If it doesn't, the progress of the emerging economies could turn ugly.  

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Biting demand over dog attack; keep stray dogs off the street!

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Victim’s hubby wants RM88,000 paid to SPCA as ‘compensation’

By S. ARULLDAS north@thestar.com.my

NIBONG TEBAL: The husband of the dog bite victim has demanded that RM88,000 be donated to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Dr Lim Ching Syong, 51, through mediators had told the German Shep-herd owner to pay the amount, which signifies fortune and good luck to the Chinese, to the SPCA or face legal action.

“I do not want to accept the dog owner’s offer to settle my 43-year-old wife’s hospital bill, but I want the money to be paid to the SPCA so that abandoned and stray animals could be taken care of.

“I will not compromise with the dog owner as he had been told many times to chain up his pets,” he told reporters at a press conference after his wife Lee Boon Chen lodged a report at the Simpang Ampat police station yesterday.

Also present was Seberang Prai Municipal Council (MPSP) councillor Francis Ong Koon Liak.

The 16-month-old black German Shepherd had allegedly attacked the housewife when she took her pet Shih Tzu to a playground near her house in Taman Bukit Tambun here.



Lee, who was admitted to a private hospital in Bukit Mertajam following the incident on Friday, was discharged on Monday with a bill of RM6,500. She received 12 stitches to close the wounds on her chest.

She said she was still traumatised by the attack, adding that this would take her a long time to recover.
“The owner was accompanying two German Shepherds when one of them attacked me.

“Fortunately, two women with sticks came to my rescue and managed to chase the dog away. I do not blame the dog at all, it is the owner who should be held responsible,” she said in between tears.

Ong, who advised pet owners to obtain licences for their dogs from the MPSP, said pet dogs should always be chained up and not allowed to run free to prevent such incident from recurring.

The German Shepherd has since been taken into custody by the state Veterinary Department for observation. Its behaviour would be noted and the dog also checked for symptoms of rabies such as foaming at the mouth.

The dog will be returned to the owner after 10 days if there’s no sign of the disease.

Council: Keep your pet stray dogs off the streets

By CHRISTOPHER TAN christan@thestar.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: People who take in stray dogs as pets should confine them or face the possibility of the animals being shot or put to sleep.

A spokesperson from the Urban Services, Public Health and Licensing Department said that under the council’s dog licensing by-laws, the council could take action by shooting stray dogs or putting them to sleep if they were found roaming the streets and if there were complaints from residents.

“It is not a problem if people want to take in stray dogs as pets, but these dogs should be confined to the house compound and not cause a nuisance in the neighbourhood,” the spokesperson said.

She was commenting on a complaint to The Star by a college student who was unhappy with several council workers who had removed a six-year-old stray dog and her puppy from his home in Jalan Sungai Emas, Batu Ferringhi, on April 11.

K. Keshure, 19, said both dogs were outside his house when the workers took them away.
He claimed that he had gone to the council to lodge a complaint but was told the dog and the puppy, believed to be three months old, were causing a nuisance in the neighbourhood.

“How can the council take action based on this because I cannot believe that a three-month-old puppy could harm anyone?” he asked.

The council spokesperson said the council workers had gone to the house following complaints that the dogs were chasing motorists in the neighbourhood.

Upon checking, the spokesperson confirmed that both dogs were put to sleep on the same day.

“We are also sure that the puppy was more than three months old as the workers had tried to fit it into a cage made for puppies that age but it was much bigger.

“We would have definitely not put the puppy to sleep if it was three months old or less but sent it to the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals),” the spokesperson said.

SPCA administrator Lily Leng when contacted said dogs which are three months old and above should have a licence.

“The authorities have the right to act if there are any complaints of stray dogs roaming the streets,” she said.

Malaysians of differing global views

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CERITALAH By KARIM RASLAN newsdesk@thestar.com.my



Many Malaysian Chinese have aligned themselves with international trends and developments, especially as Mandarin has been transformed into a global standard challenging the English language.

AS the results of the Sarawak election trickled in on Saturday evening, it became clearer that nothing much was going to change. A solid Barisan Nasional government was returned, with Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud still in control.

Despite the early tweets and SMSes which flew around town implying Pakatan Rakyat was en route to forming the government, Barisan held on to its two-thirds majority, charging in over the last week, thanks to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak leading the campaign on the ground.

However, the victory confirmed one trend – racial polarisation, especially in the political sphere, is on the rise. Support for Sarawak’s Chinese party, SUPP, collapsed as the DAP made a near total sweep of the urban seats.

Of course, Malaysia has always been more an amalgam of tribes and peoples rather than a unified citizenry. We’ve retained our various ethnicities while also being Malaysian.

However, now the differences – especially across the racial divide – are becoming more pronounced, and there is a growing reluctance of the non-Malays to live with and accept Barisan’s version of the “social contract”.

Whether we realise it or not, the gap between us – especially the Malays and the Chinese – is steadily widening, despite our ability to still sit down and talk with one another over lunch or dinner, discussing heated issues such as education and corruption.

However, the common ground is fast disappearing, so much so that when we do talk – and I mean heart-to-heart – many in the Malay community are bewildered and exasperated by the seeming recalcitrance of the Chinese community.

Indeed, I’ve been asked many, many times: “What do the Chinese really want?”

Normally, I find myself answering by saying that I think it’s about dignity, equality and belonging.

Generally, I’ll add that the issues of language and religion will become less heated when we all share the same level of rights.



However, this is not a popular message and I can assure you that it’s difficult for many in the Malay community to accept such a proposition. Luckily, I’m not a politician.

More often than not, I find myself citing the example of the Indonesian Chinese and how, since having been given equal rights, they’ve become extremely proud of being Indonesian.

So what’s behind the hardening of the lines? Why are we drifting apart? Is there a way of bringing the communities back together once again?

First off, we need to acknowledge the extent of the gap between our different world views.

On the one hand, there is the conventional Malaysian Malay perspective which has been shaped by recent political history.

May 13 and the NEP are its totems, and these views have hardened over the years.

On the other hand, many Malaysian Chinese have aligned themselves with international trends and developments.

Mandarin has been transformed into a global standard – arguably challenging the English language’s hegemony, which has made the Chinese community far less isolated and more connected globally.

To my mind, there are parallels between the Malaysian Chinese’s retreat from Barisan and these differing mindsets.

They also suggest a fundamental shift in mood within the community – a shift which has been prompted by global events and sense of confidence arising out of the same events.

In the past, there was a sense of having no options and no alternatives – Malaysia, for better or for worse was stable, secure and safe.

However, times have changed and so have perceptions. It’s not that Malaysia is any less attractive, it’s just that there are now more alternatives.

Separately, the same story also applies for Malaysia as an investment destination – investors can afford to give Malaysia a miss, since there are now other alternatives.

We have to work so much harder to earn the returns we managed back in the 90s. Furthermore, the 2008 global financial crisis has shaken up the global balance of power between the East and West.

China is now the rising power, challenging the post-Cold War dominance of the US. Twenty years ago, Beijing and Shanghai were dingy backwaters.

Now, we are exhorting our children to learn Mandarin, and these two cosmopolitan cities are thriving with powerhouse banks and corporations.

Indeed, Malaysia is not separate and distinct from global trends. China’s extraordinary economic might and increasing global prominence is having an impact not just on our domestic economy but our socio-dynamics too. Similarly, with India.

Therefore, we need to embrace the change and the opportunities instead of rejecting them. Besides, we may have no choice.

Many fall for Aussie job scam

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 Women swindle RM25,350 from 19 victims by promising highly paid work


By Ivan Loh, The Star/Asia News Network

BATU GAJAH: A chance to work in Australia and earn about RM9,000 monthly seemed too good a deal for a labourer to ignore.

It was, however, all a scam as a 26-year-old man from Batu Gajah, who only wanted to be known as Heng, found out when he was cheated of his money by two women.

Fong holding up the police report made by one of the victims of the scam at the Batu Gajah police station
 

Heng said he was introduced to the women who promised him a job as a sheep wool collector in Australia last month.

“One of the them, known as Ann, told me that I only had to pay RM1,650 as deposit for the airfare and they would find me a job there,” he said.

“As they were introduced to me by a friend, I trusted them and paid the money,” he told reporters after lodging a police report on Sunday.

Heng said that Ann later confirmed his flight on April 30. However, she subsequently informed Heng that his flight had been postponed to another date and he was told to wait.


Heng, a renovation worker, said he was later contacted by Ann, saying that the deal was off and his money would be refunded.


“I tried calling her again to enquire when I could get back my money but the calls went unanswered,” he said.

Heng said he hoped the police would look into the matter and pick up the two women for questioning.


“I only want justice to be served on these unscrupulous people. If I can’t get back my money, so be it,” he said.

Heng was among six people, accompanied by Batu Gajah MP Fong Po Kuan, who lodged a report.

Fong said she believed there could be more people who had fallen victim to the two women.

“I was told that 13 others had lodged similar reports earlier this month,” she said, adding that the two women had swindled about RM25,350 from the 19 victims.

“Most of them were promised jobs to work in factories, orchards and farms in Australia.”

Some of the victims were from Sungai Siput, Menglembu, Gopeng, Sitiawan and Chenderong, she added.

When in trouble, tap family power

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I REFER to “Ruthless Ah Long ‘hunting down’ families of defaulters” (The Star, Apr 13). My sympathies to the victim harassed by the Ah Long. She’s already 65 years old and still trying to earn a living selling vegetables.

Her adopted daughter owed the Ah Long around RM100,000. We have all heard how ruthless the Ah Long can be.

I remember the police ran a “Say No to Ah Long” campaign not long ago.

The various municipal councils have also acted by taking down illegal advertising banners and posters put up by Ah Long.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Department head Datuk Michael Chong has warned the public many times. I sincerely hope one will think thrice before taking a loan from an Ah Long.

During bad times like the current economic meltdown, financial difficulties arise and affect many.

It’s time to go home. Never underestimate the power of home. As one opens the home door, gradually one can see and feel the power of family.

One’s family members are pillars of support and strength. Family bonds cannot be broken. It runs in our blood forever from generation to generation.



Discuss things with them. Be open. Don’t keep them in the dark. They may be able to help.

Let’s go down the family tree. We see immediate and close relatives. They, too, may be able to assist. Another avenue will be approaching close friends.

Pride, ego and face are not important. Financial problem solving is.

One should never think negatively, that one will lose face or will be looked down on if one needs to borrow money from family members, close relatives and close friends.

Just be grateful if they are willing to help. It’s a crucial option.


One should never take the risk of borrowing from Ah Longs. What if one fails to pay? One can hide forever but what about one’s loved ones?

I recall the song You Are Not Alone. More heads are better than one. Being alone invites hopelessness and helplessness.

EDWARD WONG,
Ipoh.