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Fear and loathing in Malaysia: Waning trust fans conspiracy theories

Cases of elite impunity have rocked the nation and eroded trust in institutions.

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An image of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
(MACC) chief Azam Baki at a protest in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 15. The MACC is among institutions facing accusations of abuse of power.

An image of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki at a protest in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 15. The MACC is among institutions facing accusations of abuse of power.

PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

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  • Recent graft charges against top military officers and "ye ye" parties expose systemic corruption, eroding public trust in Malaysia's defence institutions.
  • Widespread accusations of abuse of power, hypocrisy, and lack of transparency by enforcement agencies fuel public cynicism and conspiracy theories.
  • Restoring trust requires urgent reforms focusing on transparency through an FOI Act and empowered independent oversight for enforcement agencies.

AI generated

On the surface, a recent

spate of top-ranking military officers

including the outgoing armed forces and army chiefs being charged with graft seems to merely confirm what most Malaysians already assume: that corruption is endemic, especially within the defence establishment.

After all, the 1Malaysia Development Berhad saga aside, the defence sector has produced some of Malaysia’s most notorious graft cases – from the RM5 billion purchase of submarines that struggled to dive to the

RM11 billion

littoral combat ship programme

yet to deliver a single vessel more than a decade on.

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