APART from developments in politics, economics, civil unrest                                                                                          
and sports, a major attention of world media is centred on                                                                                            
scandals, corruption and unsavoury behaviour unrelated to the                                                                                         
activities of the mafia, the yakuza or the underworld.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
The headlines are associated with the unethical behaviour of                                                                                          
those in position. People whom we feel should know better.                                                                                            
Will we ever learn?                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
Unethical behaviour comes in many forms. At a lower level is                                                                                          
the payment counter clerk in Johannesburg who tried to induce                                                                                         
me to buy a pair of shoes at half the price without a receipt                                                                                         
or the shop assistant in Marks and Spencer in Britain who                                                                                             
misappropriated œ44,000 (RM173,360) worth of merchandise.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
At a higher level is Nick Leeson of Barings who acted                                                                                                 
irresponsibly by dealing in derivatives or Christopher Skase,                                                                                         
the Australian who milked shareholders and is now a fugitive                                                                                          
in Spain.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
At the highest level are Prime Ministers and Cabinet Ministers                                                                                        
whose reputations have been soiled by political payoffs and                                                                                           
shady deals.                                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
Unethical behaviour is also rearing its ugly head in the                                                                                              
professions.  Most professions have an unwritten code of                                                                                              
conduct-in medicine by way of the Hippocratic Oath, in law and                                                                                        
in accounting by rules governing conflict of interests.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Professional duty is measurable for neglect-and litigation for                                                                                        
improper professional conduct is now available. The death of a                                                                                        
patient, the collapse of a building and the failure of a                                                                                              
business can now often be traced to behaviour unbecoming of a                                                                                         
professional.                                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Caveat emptor can no longer be justified. It is, therefore,                                                                                           
comforting to house buyers to know that legislation to                                                                                                
increase the penalty for professional negligence on all part                                                                                          
of all professionals in constructing a building has been put                                                                                          
in motion.                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
In Malaysia, the most widely-publicised form of unethical                                                                                             
behaviour in recent years lies in sports, particularly                                                                                                
football. Measures have been taken to wipe out bribery and                                                                                            
corruption; but the rot is so pervasive that it saddens fans                                                                                          
to find out that a game of skills has become a pantomime.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
We must have hope in the goodness of people if we are to                                                                                              
achieve the noble objective of a united, prosperous, moral and                                                                                        
ethical society.  The law is fashioned to protect the wider                                                                                           
interest of society. It is expected that the law acts as a                                                                                            
deterrent and will eventually be applied to the wrong-doers.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
It is also hoped that as people become more educated and                                                                                              
enlightened, they are less gullible to promises of instant                                                                                            
gratification, and consumerism becomes a major force in                                                                                               
checking abuses.                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
How do we develop ethical behaviour? We can preach in the                                                                                             
classroom.  In fact, American concern for the high incidence                                                                                          
of white-collar crime has seen the creation of chairs in                                                                                              
universities for the study of ethical behaviour. Even the                                                                                             
Harvard Business School, long regarded as the citadel for                                                                                             
developing capitalistic and opportunity-seeking managers, has                                                                                         
deemed it necessary to introduce ethics as part of its                                                                                                
curriculum.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Managing finance and business requires the same professional                                                                                          
commitment of a doctor who manages the health of a patient. A                                                                                         
managerial code of conduct that spells out clearly the                                                                                                
responsibilities to all stakeholders is the equivalent of the                                                                                         
Hippocratic Oath.                                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
In preaching in the classroom, words have to be backed up by                                                                                          
data.  Cases of impropriety and all forms of transgressions                                                                                           
should be put under the microscope for analysis and as lessons                                                                                        
for appropriate behaviour. Too often, schools and universities                                                                                        
tread the easier path of playing up on virtues, but scant                                                                                             
attention is devoted to vices.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
"Thou shall" should have a balance of "Thou shall not." Heroes                                                                    
should be juxtaposed with villains. How better can we                                                                                                 
demonstrate that crime does not pay than by exposing our youth                                                                                        
to the folly of crime.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
We pride ourselves on our Asian roots with a tradition of                                                                                             
proper conduct shaped and influenced by the home and by our                                                                                           
community-conscious culture. Across the Asian landscape we see                                                                                        
the importance placed on the interest of the community, often                                                                                         
ahead of the interest of the individual.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Throughout the centuries kinship, tribalism and collectivism                                                                                          
dominated the thinking and action of farmers, samurai warriors                                                                                        
and traders. In Malaysia the gotong-royong of the Malays, the                                                                                         
clan support structure of the Chinese and the                                                                                                         
community-consciousness of the Indians are no symbols; they                                                                                           
are the foundations of society.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
But rapid changes, development and modernisation have weakened                                                                                        
the foundations, and individual interests do seem to take                                                                                             
priority over collective interests. In so doing, the                                                                                                  
opportunities for unethical behaviour to serve individual                                                                                             
interest at the expense of collective interest take root.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Modernisation is a double-edged sword. It brings material                                                                                             
comforts and new opportunities. But it often over-emphasises                                                                                          
materialism as a goal, not as a means to a better quality of                                                                                          
life.                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
We need to create greater awareness that Vision 2020 is not                                                                                           
just about increasing our economic wealth; it has everything                                                                                          
to do with creating the future Malaysian who is also expected                                                                                         
to have high ethical behaviour.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
The slogan Leadership by Example needs to be resurrected and                                                                                          
emphasised. The declaration of assets and interest is a good                                                                                          
deterrent; leadership by example, which implies ethical                                                                                               
behaviour, is a dogma, an act of faith, a belief in oneself so                                                                                        
that we will do the things we believe in.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Ethical behaviour should have less to do with deterrent as                                                                                            
with the belief that it is the only course of action available                                                                                        
to us. Yes, we can learn to behave, but it will take national                                                                                         
consciousness and concerted effort to bring this about.