TVB on Penang’s new government

Hong Kong TVB production – a short 30 minute documentary of Lim Guan Eng’s first 100 days leading the PR government and the people’s response to it. It has a HK perspective, mandarin subtitles.

香港无线电视节目- [檳城在望]

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One example stated in the interview that would continue my previous post on fundamental assumptions is that of corruption. Mr. Lim challenged the fundamental assumption, the historical “truth”, that some amount of corruption is needed at every government to get things done. This prevalent thinking is that, with some private incentives, people in civil service would then feel urged to do something that, on the surface is some big project that benefits the people, but on the side it’s a lucrative “deal”. Otherwise, it is impossible to get a champion in the government to champion a private cause.

So what about this fundamental assumption is flawed has to come a lot from the conscience of the person. To say this is simply a “moral standard” would again be too shallow, because morals are social contracts ingrained into the people through official education systems for purposes of holding people together, a subject that I got a pretty low grade I must admit, because I over-analyzed most situation in the exam. But this is no exam – this is a real problem – is corruption a necessary impetus for progress? Of the 36 “moral values” found in Malaysian text books, which Muslims are not required to take btw because they study the superior Qur’an, which of them explicitly talk about bribes? What yardstick would you use to test the fundamental assumption of bribes? Take for (convenient) comparison, would the Singapore govt definition of bribes (please declare the two oranges you received over Chinese New Year) be too strict, and it not possible for you to change your mind if someone buys you a lunch? If the answer is no, then it’s a matter of degree isn’t it? Is an orange, chocolate, lunch, dinner, speaking engagement, official trip, board invitation, project sponsor, or cash a bribe? Which one would you receive with no remorse, that you can answer to your conscience?