Most of us behave as silent observers and allow others in pursuing corruption activities...!!!

Who is responsible for corruption?
Prasad Polwatte

Corruption is a day-to-day hot topic for all of us and it is being discussed everywhere at all levels. People blindly, maliciously accept any corruption allegation as correct even without establishing the substance.

Some exaggerate the values from millions to billions and connect prominent personalities to have more glamour. Corruption is a popular coverage for the media and people prefer to listen/watch/read the dark side of the society. These corruption accusations have been raised during all political regimes but unfortunately no one found guilty. The civil society, media, judiciary, and regulators forget the past and start discussing recent developments and finally they ended up as costs to the society.

Definion

Taking or giving a bribe is a cancerous scourge

Corruption obtains when an official transfers a benefit to an individual who may or may not be entitled to the benefit, in exchange for an illegal payment (the bribe). By taking the bribe, the official breaks a legally binding promise he gave to his principal to allocate the benefit to those entitled to it. Corruption is neither a property of a social system or an institution, nor a trait of an individual character, but rather than an illegal exchange.

Can a single person be responsible?
At least two parties are needed to execute a corruption/malpractice activity; i.e., a receiver and a giver. As an example one person should offer a bribe and another party has to accept it. Without a giver receiver will not survive.

Thus, both parties are equally responsible/guilty in a malpractice. In bribery the Private Sector is the giver and the Public Sector is receiver. Empirical studies found a positive relationship between the extent of bribery and; the level of ‘red tapes’; tiers of Government; the amount of time spent by managers with public officials; the cost of capital and investment; and the degree of regularity discretion on the part of officials (www.answers.com). The giver claim him/her as an innocent and accuse the taker as the culprit.

Can it only be restricted to high valued transactions?
Corruption is not limited to high valued transaction such as; money siphon out from a World Bank loan, international deals connected with high valued local projects, irregular public tenders and bribes taken by school principals. Corruption cannot be restricted only to high valued deals; even Re. 1 misappropriation is a corruption. Blame game is a common scenario in corruption, i.e. some may says the amount he/she robbed is much lesser than what others have robbed, and they are much refined than others, and also, if culprit cannot fount then the finger will be pointed at Government.

Directly or indirectly we all have involved in some corruption activity an we all have become members of a corrupted system and also, most of us are benefited by it.

They, can we claim ourselves as clean? Haven’t we committed any malpractice in our life?

Unethical incidents
Let’s analyze some controversial decisions/activities:

1. Do you declare all your income for tax purposes?

2. Have you given incorrect information to your child’s birth certificate with an intention of applying to a popular school?

3. Haven’t we used our position to get privilege over others?

4. Haven’t you deviated from the rule book to help you relative or friend?

5. Haven’t you paid a motor traffic offence fine to a traffic cop to collect your driver’s licence?

6. Can you limit your official vehicle/driver solely for official purposes?

7. Haven’t you used office photo copier to copy your personal stuff?

8. Do you use your office computer/internet for private purposes?

9. Haven’t you used your office phone to call your partner/friends/children?

If your answer is yes, can we boast on ourselves as ‘the untouchables’? Despite our limitations; we asset to punish others who are involved in corruption. John Perkins described himself as an economic hit man, a highly paid professional who cheated countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars (Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, 2005). Without John Perkins assistance US would have not damaged economies of poor countries.

The question to be raised is; who is guilty; John Perkins or US financial institutions? If Perkins was honest and ethical this destruction would have not happened.

Will the transaction process allow corruption?

Any transaction must accomplish following steps, i.e. authorization, implementation, and recording. These steps are performed by different officers and the support of the entire groups is required for a corruption. Most of these offices possess the required experience, training and competencies to perform their duties and they are capable of understanding the irregularities in unusual transactions.

If the procedures are followed, there is very little room for corruption. Some public sector employees over emphasize on procedures and hinder customer service.

They insist on too many approvals and documentary evidence and sometimes a customer has to visit several times for documentation completion.

Despite all these procedures some are capable of offering expeditious customer service via bribery.

Thus, an honest and competent officer in this transaction loop should be able to understand and resist on malpractices.

The question is: Is it happening? Most of us behave as silent observers and allow others in pursuing corruption activities, and when things go wrong point finger at politician or the Government as corrupted.