Transparency International Malaysia has come out strong against systematic corruption in the civil service, blaming the country's alarming rate of traffic accident squarely on the police and the road transportation department, JPJ.

Its executive president Tunku Abdul Aziz said as a result of 'systematic corruption' within the ranks of both agencies over the years, thousands who should never be allowed to go behind the wheel of a vehicle, have been placed on our roads.

According to the anti-corruption watchdog, despite the statistics, articulation of concern over road safety have become a 'ritual', with successive prime ministers and ministers "all apparently more interested in justifying their negligence or public duty, bordering on the criminal."

"The problem has been further compounded by corruption-induced enforcement, with predictable consequences," said Abdul Aziz.

Victimless crime?

Well-orchestrated fanfare over road safety campaigns have failed to yield anything of tangible value in terms of reducing the rates of deaths on Malaysian roads.

This, said Abdul Aziz, is "because the root cause of the horrendous death rate on our roads is too embarrassing to both the police and JPJ, and their responsible ministers, to be dragged out into the public domain for a through examination."

Those who argue that corruption is a victimless crime are blind to reality, he added.

"The reality is that victims, in their hundreds each holiday season, are strewn on our highways and byways, their bodies mangled, and their lives snuffed."

"Corrupt officials should pause and reflect upon the consequences of their greed on their fellow human beings."