LETTER | Many tend to look at the resignation of Edmund Terence Gomez from the MACC's Anti-Corruption Advisory Board (ACAB) cursorily or even brand it as a show. Some might even suspect it was a political play.

To me, the resignation was not an insignificant event. It took courage, sacrifice, lots of inconveniences, and unwanted attention to do what he did.

Quite frankly, many of us, myself included, could talk about good governance and fighting corruption and abuse of power, but very few are willing to put words into action.

More so if we are holding positions that come with privileges and connections.

Hence what Mr Edmund did was not a small matter. It involved personal sacrifice and risk.

In fact, what he did has great bearings on institutional effectiveness. For a long time, I have been asking why our institutions are so ineffective in providing checks and balances.

Why is it that despite our robust Constitution, parliamentary oversights, numerous commissions, advisory councils, and other agencies, our system of governance has become half-baked, corruption has become rampant, and the abuse of power has become routine?

Where has the effectiveness gone?

All this points to one simple fact - there are few good men among us and even fewer are willing to stand up and be counted.

When we are faced with a dilemma, we take the easiest way out – just stay low and continue enjoying the little perks that come along.

For example, I am sure many people in 1MDB knew of the baloney that was happening before it became public knowledge.

But how many of them were willing to stand up and be counted? Even the external auditors became eunuchs.

Is this not what most of the people in the institutions are doing? Otherwise, how could abuse be so rampant everywhere seemingly with no one pointing out anything?

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