The formulation of stringent laws and creation of a comprehensive system will have no success in curbing the crime of corruption if the members of society themselves do not have good moral values, says Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Asyraf Wajdi Dasuki.

He said for Malaysia to be a respected country, all parties must think again of the coming generations to be shaped in the run-up to National Transformation 2050 (TN50).

"That is why Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has taken the bottom-up approach by getting feedback from the generation who will live through the TN50 era.

"This is because there will no end to talking about the issue of integrity and corruption even with a new government in place if the people themselves have no moral values,” said Asyraf Wajdi at the Millennials Empowerment Summit (MES) organised by the Umno Overseas Students Bureau in Kuala Lumpur today.

He was answering a question from the floor during the session titled, "Maqasid syariah in public policy and governance," on the factors for Malaysia to be ranked 55th out of 176 countries on the Corruption Perception Index 2016, although the government had come up with various procedures and laws to combat corruption.

Asyraf Wajdi said in moulding a generation capable of developing the country in a balanced manner, the government, through TN50, aspired to produce 125,000 huffaz or professional Quran memorisers across the country by 2050.

"We wish to produce a generation of ulul albab (those who are balanced in matters of the world and hereafter) who they can memorise the Quran, but are also experts in the fields of medicine, accountancy, engineering and so on.

“Currently, the country’s education system has 41,250 tahfiz students who are simultaneously undergoing hafiz (Quran memorising) and academic studies,” he said.

Admitting there was the issue of weaknesses and leakage in the government’s administration currently, he however said that some quarters should not be too quick in accusing Malaysia of being a failed state.

"This is unwise. The issue should be jointly tackled while at the same time, not forgetting the nation’s bigger agenda which requires the involvement of all parties and not just leaving it the government to implement the agenda,” said Asyraf Wajdi.

MES was held in conjunction with the Umno General Assembly 2017, set for tomorrow until Dec 9 at the Putra World Trade Centre.

- Bernama