‘Malaysia Boleh’ has turned into ‘anything goes’ due to endemic corruption, warns corporate veteran Azman Hashim
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Corporate and banking icon Tan Sri Azman Hashim has issued a scathing rebuke on the state of national integrity, warning that systemic corruption has eroded moral values and turned the proud national slogan “Malaysia Boleh” into a culture where “anything goes.”
Speaking in his capacity as the newly appointed Chancellor of Open University Malaysia (OUM) during its 31st Convocation Ceremony on October 19, Azman expressed deep concern over the normalization of graft across public and corporate spheres.
His remarks, which have drawn widespread public attention, highlighted how the boundary between right and wrong has been dangerously blurred in contemporary society.
From national pride to ethical erosion
Reflecting on the country’s development trajectory, the veteran banker noted that while the phrase “Malaysia Boleh” once symbolized groundbreaking national achievements, unchecked corruption has distorted its original meaning.
“We used to say with great pride, ‘Malaysia Boleh’. Indeed, we were proud, and we achieved many successes through ‘Malaysia Boleh’,” Azman told the graduating cohort. “However, today, it seems to have become ‘anything goes’ because of corruption.”
He emphasized that graft is no longer an isolated issue but has become “endemic,” seeping deeply into social systems, culture, and daily practices.
Loss of shame and moral decline
Addressing major financial scandals that have impacted the nation, including 1MDB and Tabung Haji, Azman pointed out that the core crisis facing the country is a fundamental erosion of moral values.
He lamented that while educators consistently instil a policy of zero tolerance toward corruption from an early age, many individuals in positions of power now commit corrupt acts without any sense of shame or accountability.
“Teachers have always taught us from young to practice zero tolerance against corruption,” Azman remarked. “Yet the reality today is that there are those who take bribes without feeling any shame whatsoever.”
Corporate observers and academics described Azman’s address as a frank, unvarnished wake-up call from an elder statesman intent on restoring ethical standards and guiding the next generation of graduates toward uncompromised integrity.
— The Malaysia Times
