THE arrests of the top men in the Immigration Department may signal the beginning of the first real serious effort to catch the ‘big fish’ among errant public officials — in this particular instance for alleged corrupt practice in the issuance of visas to foreign workers.

What is not known at this stage are the details apart from the allegation that they could be part of a syndicate specialising in obtaining visas for foreign workers through unethical means.

But the fact that these top officials are allegedly involved is a blow to good name of the Department and the country although at this point, it is still premature to presume the guilt or innocence of the suspects as well as the others, including agents, arrested together with them.

Notwithstanding that, the authorities must have sufficiently strong evidence to issue the arrest warrants. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has described the arrests as those of ‘big fish’. And apparently, following the latest episode, more will be done to throw the book at the corrupt, especially in high places, to underscore the government’s seriousness in combating graft.

Corruption is a scourge that can spread like wildfire if not nipped in the bud, and its effect is contagious and gripping, eating into the moral fibres of the individual and adulterating the very bone of his integrity and conscience like a insidious disease.

Unbridled corruption hampers the equitable distribution of wealth and in consequence, further widens the gap between the haves and the have-nots, making life miserable for the ordinary people, much more so in the prevailing global economic scenario where living costs are continuing to spiral due in the main to the steep increase in fuel and other consumer good prices.

Corruption also affects efficiency — in fact, it breeds inefficiency – because when integrity and moral principles are compromised, the sense of propriety is lost and diligence and honesty go out the window if palms are not greased.

In this context, sound logic and reasoning would weigh heavily in favour of contracts or tenders being awarded on the basis of merits as it is conceivably the best way to prevent underhand practices. For graft, if left to its own device, will ultimately spawn a society plagued by widespread economic imbalance and social inertia.

The high-profile arrests in the Immigration Department could not have come about with proper investigations, and as such, consequent upon the hard evidence gathered within the ambit of the law, charges will be brought.

It is hoped investigations into corrupt practices will not end with these arrests. Indeed, all public officials, in whom the trust of the people is vested, should be subjected to the same law if proven to be corrupt, irrespective of their level of authority. Individuals will have their day in court if they are innocent.

It might also be pertinent to point out that while it is highly commendable greater efforts appear to have now been made against corruption among public officials, at the same time, the giver should be held equally liable in order to plug both ends of a leaky system. To further reinforce the fight against corruption, it is perhaps timely to look into and seal loopholes, if any, in the law that may give rise to opportunities for exploitation. Such opportunities must be curtailed because of the commonly held notion (rightly or wrongly) that as long as you are willing and able to pay, you can get off the hook. Without casting aspersion, this appears relevant to enforcement agencies.

The clean-up within the public sector must be tackled in earnest. Among others, there should be a clear message that the fight will not stop with the arrests of a few big fish but will continue with even greater determination to nab the corrupt and corruptible alike at all levels of public service. Ultimately, it is via this prism of political will that the true test of the nation’s anti-graft crusade will be viewed and measured.