Despite rising literacy rates and decades of investment in educational development, Malaysia continues to grapple with white-collar crimes—corruption, bribery, and abuse of power, often perpetrated by the very individuals society deems ‘educated.’ This paradox calls for a deeper examination of our nation’s moral foundation, and whether our education system is truly fulfilling its purpose.
A Nation Educated, Yet Ethically Fragile
Statistics have been alarming. Between 2018 and 2023, Malaysia incurred an estimated loss of RM277 billion (approximately USD 58 billion). This figure was announced by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki during the launch of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2028. The loss equates to an average of RM55 billion annually and was calculated based on cumulative GDP estimates over the five years. These losses were substantial as they could have been utilized to fund public services, such as repairing roads, schools, and hospitals. In 2023, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) made 1,137 arrests and opened 1,026 investigation papers. It was a 25.1% increase from 2022.
Even more concerning is that many of these offenses involve individuals from professional and academic backgrounds—lawyers, bankers, civil servants, even elected officials. Just recently, MACC arrested three bank officers in Kuala Lumpur for allegedly facilitating fraudulent loan applications amounting to RM21 million. It’s a disturbing pattern: the more qualified the offenders, the more sophisticated the crimes.
When Education Lacks a Moral Compass
So why does corruption persist, despite the prevalence of higher education? The root of the issue lies in the disconnect between intellectual growth and ethical development. A degree may signal knowledge, but it doesn’t guarantee conscience. While our institutions excel at producing skilled professionals, they often fall short in nurturing principled individuals. This dilemma is not new. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said:
“The most beloved of people to Allah on the Day of Judgment and the closest to Him will be the just leader.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi)
Islam reminds us that knowledge (‘ilm) must lead to righteous action (‘amal). Otherwise, it becomes a tool for manipulation. The phenomenon of ‘smart criminals’—those who exploit their intellect to commit and conceal unethical acts is proof that education, devoid of moral grounding, is hollow.
Spiritual Intelligence: The Missing Dimension
Today’s education emphasizes cognitive intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ), but spiritual intelligence (SQ)—the awareness of moral responsibility rooted in divine accountability- is often neglected. In Islam, SQ is grounded in taqwa (God-consciousness), which guides ethical choices even in the absence of external scrutiny.
The Qur’an states:
“Indeed, the most honourable of you in the sight of Allah is the one with the most taqwa.”
(Surah Al-Hujurat, 49:13)
With spiritual intelligence, individuals act ethically not out of fear of law enforcement, but out of reverence for divine judgment. A janitor with taqwa may show more integrity than a minister without it. It is this inner compass that sustains a just society.
Are Government Measures Enough?
Malaysia has not been idle in the face of corruption. The National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024–2028 sets out five pillars: education, enforcement, accountability, citizen participation, and incentives. Legislative reforms, such as the proposed Public Procurement Act and the Freedom of Information Act, aim to enhance transparency. A dedicated task force has also been launched to improve Malaysia’s CPI ranking. However, implementation has been uneven. Critics point to slow reforms, weak whistleblower protections, and lingering political interference in enforcement agencies. Public trust suffered another blow in late 2024 when high-profile charges linked to the 1MDB scandal were unexpectedly dropped. Despite institutional frameworks, the moral will to act decisively appears to waver.
Corruption as a Spiritual Disease
From an Islamic perspective, corruption is more than just a legal violation. It is a spiritual affliction. The Qur’an warns:
“Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers so that they might aid you to consume a portion of the wealth of others unlawfully.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:188)
This verse reminds us that corruption betrays not only human trust but also the divine trust (amanah) bestowed upon leaders and public servants. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) even cursed both the briber and the one who accepts the bribe—illustrating the gravity of the offense.
From Reform to Transformation
It’s clear that Malaysia needs more than policy reform. We need a transformation, one that prioritises spiritual and ethical revival. As the late Tan Sri Dr. Mohd Kamal Hassan aptly put it, “We are suffering from an ethical deficit, not just a financial one.” In his 2021 work, Corruption and Hypocrisy in Malay Muslim Politics, he delves into the moral decay within the Malay-Muslim political sphere, emphasizing that the nation’s challenges are deeply rooted in ethical issues rather than merely financial issues. He condemned the normalization of bribery and patronage within political and administrative systems, which is often cloaked under religious and racial rhetoric.
Tan Sri Kamal Hassan argued that a deep crisis of integrity cannot be solved solely by regulatory or punitive measures. Instead, a spiritually rooted ethical consciousness must permeate individual and institutional behaviour. In the 2024 volume Journey to Islamicisation of Human Knowledge, his vision of Islamicisation extended beyond academic fields into public life, calling for the embedding of divine accountability (taqwa) in every sector, including governance, education, and the economy.
Moral and spiritual education must become central to our national agenda. Taqwa should be integrated into curricula, not confined to religious studies but embedded across all disciplines. Schools, universities, mosques, and civil society must work in unison to foster an environment where integrity is not only taught but lived.
Conclusion: Realigning Our Vision
Our national education system must aim higher, beyond producing employable graduates, to nurturing trustworthy, God-conscious individuals. Only then can Malaysia overcome its corruption crisis, not just statistically, but spiritually. For in the end, true success is not found in titles or wealth, but in trustworthiness and righteousness before the Creator.
“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin…”
(Surah An-Nisa’, 4:135) Let this be our guiding light, as we strive not only for reform, but for restoration of character, conscience, and commitment to truth.
