The poll results are in. While we're not saying that this poll is in any way representative of the population of Brunei in terms of their opinions on the demand/supply of corruption, it seems that those who were kind enough to partake in our little survey have spoken: a total of 57% (rounded up figures) are willing to accept a $200,000.00 bribe, while 43% of those responded are unwilling, seeing corruption as wrong. The figures are similar to the provision of bribes, with 58% willing to pay the bribe, while the other 42% not willing to partake in corruption.
These figures are telling and interesting: in the absence of enforcement (or rather successful enforcement), we see people willing to partake in corruption. While we did not poll people with regards to their propensities towards corruption given the probability of being caught, we go on a limb here to suggest that it might be safe to assume that the figures would be lower. At the end of the day, you have to see this game of corruption as one which revolves heavily around risk. The higher the risk of getting caught, the less likely inherently corrupt people will engage in it - a simple fact of life. It isn't necessarily the severity of the punishment either that can act as a deterrent. China have the death penalty as punishment for corruption in government, but yet corruption remains rampant in China (see here, here and here). Sometimes companies and governments alike simply aren't committed to bring corruption to the forefront by dealing with it through the courts. After all, if we as a country started dragging corrupt people in our country to court, would that not be equivalent to hanging our dirty laundry out for everyone to see?
Here's an excerpt from a news article to drill in this point (from China's perspective):
Ewing (a China analyst) observed that "through talking a tough new game and making examples of a selected group of public officials and businesses, the Chinese leadership hopes to reduce corruption. But it is going to take more than tough talk and selective prosecution to make a real difference. When the odds of getting caught are greater than the odds of not getting caught, then there will be real progress."
And many corruption cases are not brought to the spotlight, only quietly dealt with behind the scenes. A Chinese buyer working for a Western megastore chain in China said that after discovering a kickback scandal the management of the store simply sacked an employee involved instead of pressing charges.
Source: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/IJ19Cb01.html
In Brunei, many of us have heard through the grapevine many many cases of people who engage in corrupt activities, either get away with it scot free, or if they are caught, are given a slap on the wrist and, as the above China example, deal with it behind the scenes.
So if you stand to gain $200,000.00 or perhaps $2million, or amounts enough to get you early retirement, and you know that the worst that can happen to you is to get fired cos bringing you to court would embarrass those you stole money from, wouldn't YOU be tempted to become corrupt?
And indulge us in one more poll on the right hand column, to see how many of us would accept bribes given the current level of enforcement for corruption in Brunei. I think the results will give us another eye opener.
These figures are telling and interesting: in the absence of enforcement (or rather successful enforcement), we see people willing to partake in corruption. While we did not poll people with regards to their propensities towards corruption given the probability of being caught, we go on a limb here to suggest that it might be safe to assume that the figures would be lower. At the end of the day, you have to see this game of corruption as one which revolves heavily around risk. The higher the risk of getting caught, the less likely inherently corrupt people will engage in it - a simple fact of life. It isn't necessarily the severity of the punishment either that can act as a deterrent. China have the death penalty as punishment for corruption in government, but yet corruption remains rampant in China (see here, here and here). Sometimes companies and governments alike simply aren't committed to bring corruption to the forefront by dealing with it through the courts. After all, if we as a country started dragging corrupt people in our country to court, would that not be equivalent to hanging our dirty laundry out for everyone to see?
Here's an excerpt from a news article to drill in this point (from China's perspective):
Ewing (a China analyst) observed that "through talking a tough new game and making examples of a selected group of public officials and businesses, the Chinese leadership hopes to reduce corruption. But it is going to take more than tough talk and selective prosecution to make a real difference. When the odds of getting caught are greater than the odds of not getting caught, then there will be real progress."
And many corruption cases are not brought to the spotlight, only quietly dealt with behind the scenes. A Chinese buyer working for a Western megastore chain in China said that after discovering a kickback scandal the management of the store simply sacked an employee involved instead of pressing charges.
Source: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/IJ19Cb01.html
In Brunei, many of us have heard through the grapevine many many cases of people who engage in corrupt activities, either get away with it scot free, or if they are caught, are given a slap on the wrist and, as the above China example, deal with it behind the scenes.
So if you stand to gain $200,000.00 or perhaps $2million, or amounts enough to get you early retirement, and you know that the worst that can happen to you is to get fired cos bringing you to court would embarrass those you stole money from, wouldn't YOU be tempted to become corrupt?
And indulge us in one more poll on the right hand column, to see how many of us would accept bribes given the current level of enforcement for corruption in Brunei. I think the results will give us another eye opener.
1 comment:
My uneducated analysis, Mr Red, leads me to believe that in the Brunei context graft is akin to "Guangxi" or "Kongsi" in the Chinese culture of doing business, be it subtly done transparently in the open or discreetly in secret.
So to Chinese business people, under the table deals are the norm rather than the exception and deception is the name of the game.
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