Vote buying was rampant everywhere this past election. It is a gross violation of the law.
Ordinary people violating the law is reprehensible. And they might be jailed or fined, or suffer other consequences. By and large, it will only affect the violator himself or his family, and the victim. For the society, life would go on the way it always does.
It is a whole different ballgame when the leaders are the ones committing legal violations, especially if en masse. Everybody follows. That is our story as a country. it is the leaders showing us the way. Enrich yourself through corrupt ways when elected. “What are we in power for?”
That is also the goal of employees and officers of government. You now get ridiculed if you came out from government employment and not yet “rich.” People would refer to you as stupid.
It has become widespread. The dream of kids now is to get into politics for it offers the biggest monetary returns. Not just politics. To establish political dynasties.
The worst effect though is not the raiding of government coffers, making these perpetually empty. Constant borrowing ensues getting us deeper and deeper into the mire. So public services for the people’s welfare are bad, if at all.
It is the erosion of the country’s moral fiber to almost nil. With that goes our ability to compete. We are not just an economic basket case. We cannot even provide basic jobs for our people so they need not go and suffer abroad, enduring all sorts of exploitation and indignities.
With a strong moral fiber, we will have the energy and creativity to survive and rise up from our bad situation as a country. The effort to establish that has to start from the top. **