Johan Jaafar : Sadly, corruption is a new normal today. It is embedded in our culture!

Tale of morality from 500 years ago

By JOHAN JAAFFAR

MANY believe the story of Raja Mendeliar and Kitul in Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals) was all about politics. In fact, their names are part of the political lexicon when people talk about betrayal and backstabbing.

What they did led to the assassination of Bendahara Seri Maharaja Tun Mutahir, a charismatic bendahara (equivalent to a prime minister today). As a result, the sultanate was weakened.

The embattled Sultan Mahmud appointed Paduka Tuan (known as Bendahara Tepuk), who was too old and had physical disabilities, to replace him.

Melaka, the greatest Malay empire in the peninsula, spiralled into degradation and later fell ingloriously to the Portuguese.

Corruption was the real reason behind the events leading to the murders of Tun Mutahir; his son Tun Hassan Temenggung; son-in-law Tun Ali; and the father of Tun Ali, Sri Nara Di Raja. It was a dastardly act by those conspiring to frame the bendahara.

Sultan Mahmud, arguably the most ruthless king in the history of Melaka, had a grudge against the bendahara. Tun Mutahir had married his beautiful daughter, Tun Fatimah, off to Tun Ali despite the advice of the Sultan’s uncle to “tunjukkan” (show) the lady to the Sultan first, perhaps a norm back then.

In Chapter 33 of Sejarah Melayu, the author narrated the story of Raja Mendeliar having a dispute with a merchant, Nina Sura Dewana. Nina went to see the bendahara and offered him gold. Kitul, a relative of Nina, heard about the visit and went to see Raja Mendeliar with a story that the bendahara and Nina were conspiring against him.

Raja Mendeliar met a close aide of the Sultan, Laksamana Khoja Hassan, and told him that the bendahara was planning to topple the Sultan. Without hesitation, Sultan Mahmud decreed the death of the bendahara and three others and later married Tun Fatimah.

It was a tragic event that was almost unparalleled in the history of Melaka.

The author of Sejarah Melayu, believed to be Tun Sri Lanang, had the tendency to weave myths and legends into real history. But no one disputes the fact that Sejarah Melayu is one of the most important Malay historical works.

What happened to Tun Mutahir could have been avoided. He was a wealthy man himself. Like many other leaders depicted in Sejarah Melayu, he was surrounded by extraordinary wealth.

Sejarah Melayu did not mince words when it narrated the opulence of the Malay leaders. Melaka was prosperous, and prosperity brought unimaginable wealth to the political elite.

Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from the Raja Mendeliar-Nina episode. Wealth can be destructive. Greed can be uncontrollable. Envy is a vice under such circumstances.

Wealth and power can be a lethal concoction. There were mentions of “gifts” involving Rulers and leaders throughout the pages.

“Bribery” in the Malay political realm is therefore nothing new.

Now it has a new face. Not unlike the times of the Melaka sultanate, the political leadership is currently witnessing one of the most prosperous times the Malay world has ever known.

Back in the 50s, the fledgling nation was struggling to position itself as an independent country. Money was scarce and resources were limited. Leaders were true servants of the people, and many of them were relatively poor.

Take the case of our founding father, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman. When he left office, he had to live on his RM4,000 monthly pension. But he was slapped with RM80,000 in outstanding income taxes. He was literally broke. I wonder how many former prime ministers are as “poor” as him.

Malaysia became one of the most successful developing nations in the world after the 70s.

And we rightly swerved into the direction of an industrialised nation with a vision to be among those in the league of advanced nations.

But like in the days of old, prosperity has a price. Back in the 50s, a million ringgit was a number beyond the comprehension of most people. Today, we talk billions. And corruption, too, has been taken to a new level involving unimaginable amounts of money.

Some have perfected the art of giving and taking with finesse and without remorse.

Sadly, corruption is a new normal today. It is embedded in our culture, some would argue.

So, it is timely that Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Mohamad Kamal Hassan came out with Corruption and Hypocrisy in Malay Muslim Politics: The Urgency of Moral-Ethical Transformation. It is a clarion message to remind the Malay political leaders of today what corruption can do to us. Corruption corrodes values and destroys nations.

Tun Mutahir could have been the best bendahara in history, but he succumbed to the lure of gold offered by a merchant. It’s a 500-year-old tale of morality, and yet it sounds eerily familiar today.

* Johan Jaaffar was a journalist, editor and, for some years, chairman of a media company. He is passionate about all things literature and the arts and also a diehard rugby fan. The views expressed here are entirely his own.