LETTER | These two news items tell a story of what really is going very wrong in the country: Suspected secret society members arrested after celebrating Father's Day and MOH probing alleged Father's Day party at deputy minister's residence.

Indeed not only are alleged gangsters becoming more brazen but the several counts of officials caught not complying with the enforced Covid-19 SOPs is another cause for concern.

If the basics of building a nation are pockmarked with such 'who the hell cares' behaviour, then we have much to worry for our nation.

While the Indonesian president Jokowi Widodo's recent cycling viral video showcases how a leader is reaching out to his citizens in person to remind them of the need to be self-guarded against the deadly virus, we have gangsters and leaders here in our own backyard breaking those very health and safety rules.

In recent cases, we even had the errant leaders nonchalantly state that this is okay as they are willing to pay the fines for breaking the law.

So what difference is there between gangsters and our politicians/leaders in breaking the laws of this country?

While gangsters may not escape so easily the bite of the law (unless, of course, if their "cables" are of high-velocity types), law-breaking officials do not feel a single sting.

Hence, citizens cannot help but become increasingly disillusioned.

And it appears that we can only continue to ask but without seeing any affirmative action that will once and for all fumigate our society of these worrisome trends entrenching ever more deeply.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.