MEDIA'S INFLUENCE CRUCIAL IN MALAYSIA'S ANTI-CORRUPTION BATTLE - BERNAMA CHAIRMAN

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- The media plays a vital role in raising national awareness and encouraging collective responsibility in the fight against corruption, as all sectors of society must come together to effectively address this issue, said Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai. 

He said that while public frustration over Malaysia’s stagnant Corruption Perception Index (CPI) ranking is understandable, tackling corruption requires long-term, persistent commitment beyond just enforcement measures. 

“The perception has come to a point where most Malaysians feel that corruption in this country has become endemic. They feel that it's very entrenched and it is important that the government recognises that corruption has become a serious problem in Malaysia.

“Ordinary Malaysians feel that not enough has been done to fight corruption and that we have not improved our standing in the CPI Index. But all these cannot be improved or rectified overnight. It takes a lot of effort, it takes a lot of time and years to get the momentum going,” he told Bernama at the Good Governance Conference (GGC) 2025 here today.

Wong, who is a member of the CPI Special Task Force, participated in a panel discussion on the role of media in strengthening governance. 

He emphasised that addressing corruption should not be the sole responsibility of enforcement agencies like the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) but should involve the broader public, including media, educators and religious institutions. 

“It should start from the school where children are taught that corruption is unacceptable. It must include the media coming together to highlight corruption constantly. It's not just the private sector, but both public and private,” he said.

Wong noted that as a national news agency, Bernama plays a crucial role in driving the anti-corruption narrative, providing reliable information to media organisations nationwide that may lack the resources to sustain in-depth investigative reporting. 

He also urged religious institutions to reinforce anti-corruption values, acknowledging the influence of religious leaders across different faiths in shaping moral perspectives within communities.

Recognising the growing impact of digital platforms, Wong called on social media influencers and key opinion leaders to use their reach in the fight against corruption.

“They are instantly on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. So we need them to come forward to play their role in supporting the government's effort to fight corruption,” he added.

Malaysia's rank in the 2024 CPI remained unchanged at 57th out of 180 countries, the same as in 2023.

-- BERNAMA