The Institute of Integrity Malaysia has produced a booklet, \’From Roots to Fruits: Producing Seeds of Integrity\’, which is available free of charge.

It is a simplified summary of the National Integrity Plan written in such a way that ordinary citizens can read, understand, and apply the contents to their own lives and then towards community life.

The central thesis is that one can judge a tree by its fruits. Therefore if one wants to grow a tree of integrity with fruits of integrity, one has to start with the seeds of integrity and from the roots.

The booklet identifies some weeds of integrity as weak systems.

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Recently, 20 fruitful lives were suddenly sacrificed at the altar of public service inefficiency, possible bribery, corruption and negligence. I am talking about the road accident in Bukit Gantang that took 20 lives because some accountable people were careless about their assigned responsibilities.

I find the cabinet decision to blame the owners/managers of the bus company amounts to shifting the blame to a scapegoat. While punishment of the bus company may be justified, the cabinet seems to have shirked its authority as well.

The transport minister is responsible for evolving a transportation policy covering public and private modes of travel. For each sector, there are rules and procedures aimed at safe and responsible travel. Some minimum requirements are a valid driving licence, insurance coverage, permits for public transportation vehicles and their drivers, and roadworthiness of vehicles.

My dismay is that the rules and procedures have not been enforced properly. How could one reckless and careless driver hold to ransom an entire ministry and all its agencies?

I do not for one minute believe that the company and owners are not responsible for the tragic accident. But the larger question is: who should take responsibility for the failure of enforcement of good rules and procedures?

Blame game

With the government\’s emphasis on integrity and planting the seeds of integrity, shouldn\’t the first step be to hold the relevant officers accountable for the tragic accident?

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But why haven\’t the minister and his officers taken the blame for poor management of the policy, and even poorer enforcement of the rules?

Why do we tolerate this culture of naming and blaming others? We always find a scapegoat and place the blame on them.

How do we develop an assurance programme for good and accountable public services?

How can we sow seeds of integrity if the very actors responsible for public service goods delivery do not undertake their basic tasks and responsibilities with accountability? These then become the weeds of integrity.

I feel the minister responsible for public transportation must accept responsibility and not play the blame game. Neither should the whole cabinet collude with him on this matter.