CORRUPTION and begging are two social ills that are essentially driven by greed. These two cousins must be totally obliterated if Malaysia eyes moving up the rank of First World nations
They go hand-in-hand and their existence is the sign that society is driven by greed. In countries where begging is rampant, the corruption perception index (CPI) is also very high.
While one uses power to arm twist citizens to get the money; the other gets the alms by appealing to the sympathy of the unsuspecting citizens.
In both corruption and begging, the hands are always extended out for free and easy money without having to drop a single sweat toiling.
In top-notch countries where the CPI is low, beggars are almost non-existent. This is because the politicians in these countries are focused on the social welfare of its people.
Should not be surprising
Recently, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad made a startling revelation that a local beggar could afford to drive a sport utility vehicle (SUV).
Depending on the brand and model of SUV in his possession, SUVs aa per the Malaysia Car Buyers’ Guide are easily priced from RM80,000 to a whopping RM1.78 mil!
Unlike those who work hard to make ends meet, it is easy money flowing in – and probably going out – for both the corrupt and the beggar. As money earned through begging and corruption are also unreported; both beggars and corrupt officers need not pay taxes.
Recently, Federal Criminal Investigation Chief Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain reprimanded senior officers in the police force. If he can reveal that many district police chiefs (OCPDs) are driving SUVs, why then does it surprise us that even a beggar can afford one?
Slap on the wrist
How did a professional beggar get to enjoy a monthly allowance for a person-with-disability of RM450 from the Social Welfare Department (JKM) yet remaining employed with a monthly salary of RM2,000?
It is not enough just to terminate his social welfare support; efforts must be made to find out who is responsible for the oversight and to recover back the money that was paid to him.
Besides the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) should be going after the supervisor with a part-time begging job. If he is unable to pay his taxes or fine, his SUV can be confiscated and auctioned in order to collect back the social welfare allowance that had been paid to him through the years.
It is a joke that, after being discovered that he owned a SUV, all that he was asked to do was to “make a formal pledge not to beg anymore.” Why is JKM taking the issue of professional begging so lightly?
It is like a slap on the wrist. There is no difference to civil servants or enforcement officers who are caught receiving a bribe. Such cases are often not referred to the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for further action.
Because people know that they can get away from the long arm of the law, such a behaviour will continue to persist. Is there no punishment for criminal breach of trust or cheating?
Meanwhile, why is JKM not setting up a WhatsApp number for people to provide information about beggars who are operating on the streets and even shopping malls? Action must be made to place them in social welfare homes where they can get better food.
If nothing is done to solve the problem of professional beggars, the situation can only get worse.
From my own conversation with an American couple who worked in Bangladesh some 30 years ago, beggars from Dhaka travel by air to Calcutta during the tourist season to carry out their professional begging. – March 15, 2024
