It is all about money. Illicit, illegal, fraudulent, unethically secured, deployed and even stashed away money that is rocking this stricken nation.

As you scan the news reports about millions of cash paid out to so many individuals within the political circles (or circus), it is easy to understand why the rakyat is suffering much today.

As you note how senior civil servants have been found to have gold bars, currencies, jewellery and branded bags stashed away in their homes (mind you!) you cannot help imagining how many more such individuals who have happily retired are dotting the map of Malaysia and remain still unrevealed.

What is mind-boggling and certainly shames the world is that in Malaysia you can return the stolen money and be absolved too!

"Yes I took the money but have returned it" or "I have already resigned from my chairmanship lah, so I cannot be held accountable" or "Come check my bank account lah" or the infamous, common claim "No, I did not get such millions, it is a lie!" - these are the counterclaims we read about involving the corruption cases as the politicians and politically harnessed civil servants try to bleach the wrongdoings.

Simply put, both the giver and taker have betrayed the nation of 32 million citizens, not forgetting the millions of migrant workers getting fleeced too.

How long more will we be dragged through the mud and slime of corrupt conduct?

How long more will we be able to buffer all the robberies as it is the people's money that is being taken?

Come to think of it, the billions of ringgit now needed but unavailable to subsidise essential goods, and fuel and to create meaningful jobs for Malaysians in these times of hyperinflation and an encroaching recession have been stolen by these politicians, political appointees, their kith and kin and custodian civil servants.

Yes stolen.

Call it political funding. Call it shares allocation. Call it investments. Kickbacks or whatever they are termed are still stolen money.

As lawmaker Mohamad Sabu recently hollered in Parliament, Malaysia is on the same track as Sri Lanka if citizens do not pull the brakes now.

We are talking of decades of stolen money - not just those cases languishing within the Palace of Justice or being investigated by authorities as is often claimed.

We are talking of the many decades-old cultures of 'What is in there for me' that have robbed this nation of a greater and glorious past and future.

A rich, blessed nation that is acutely impoverished today.

But we continue to allow ourselves to fall prey to the mantras of religious divisiveness and intolerance plus the deepening racial animosity which have proven to be the most effective political weapon of power.

If we want to survive on daun ubi kayu and sambal belacan in the not-too-distant future then let us happily live with this trend of blatant theft at all levels.

No one is to be blamed but all of us citizens for this self-inflicted blindness.

Look at social media - we are still so happily (if not hopelessly) laughing, joking and merely shaking our heads as we bump into and respond to the daily breaking news on the state of corruption in the country.

Even civil society leaders are on edge trying to figure out how come even the 1MDB saga is becoming a fashion statement of sorts as 'Malu apa Bossku' continues to gain traction.

For how long more oh Malaysia, how long more can we continue to allow this exploit of our beloved nation, its resources and citizens?

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