"Whatever is morally wrong cannot be politically right," said Tunku Abdul Aziz, quoting the US President Abraham Lincoln in his talk 'Enhancing Ethical Conduct Through Education'. He was speaking as part of a series of talks organized by Nilai International University College (Nilai UC) and spoke at length of the problems facing the nation, which he felt, was the result of lack of ethical values.
Tunku Abdul Aziz went on to point out that the long-term viability of any nation depends entirely on good governance underpinned by strong ethical values. And this was something sorely lacking in many individuals working in various private and public enterprises in the country. He noted with some concern the results of a survey from a few years back when students at local public universities thought that corruption and unethical behaviour was warranted if it could benefit them financially.
In light of such findings, Tunku Abdul Aziz felt it was imperative that 'ethics' be taught as a subject in schools and tertiary institutes such as Nilai UC. "It is good to know that at least one institution of higher learning in Malaysia that apparently understands the true purpose of education. Education that has as its main aim of merely turning out graduates of outstanding merit in the arts and the sciences has not really succeeded in preparing them for life outside the strict and narrow confines of their professional and academic disciplines."
"What is wrong with education today is that while it succeeds in churning out good doctors, accountants, architects and scientists, it fails rather miserably in the all important task of producing young men and women of character, imbued with values and value systems that can make a difference to the world with its concerns."
"Ethics education such as currently being considered by (Nilai UC) will have far reaching effects on the future of our country. Of that I am absolutely convinced, and I applaud you for your wisdom and courage in pioneering this truly ground breaking initiative in our part of the world," he added.
Tunku Abdul Aziz was Special Adviser to the Secretary General of the United Nations from 2006 to 2007. He is also the founder of the Malaysian Chapter of Transparency International (now known as the Malaysian Society for Transparency and Integrity). He has also published a book entitled Fighting Corruption: My Mission in 2004. Tunku Abdul Aziz is the current President of the Cauz Round Table Malaysia, which is part of an international network of experienced business leaders, who work with business and political leaders to strengthen private enterprise and public governance.
Nilai UC was established in 1997 and was the first private tertiary institute in the country allowed to offer 3+0 degree programmes. It has since grown from strength to strength and with the conferment of 'University College' status last year, Nilai UC is planning to offer its own degree programmes. It is within these new programmes that Nilai UC hopes to include subjects such as 'ethics' as compulsory modules. Located in the lush suburb of Putra Nilai, students from 50 different nations pursue courses ranging from the Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering to Degree in Accounting and Finance at its 105-acre award-winning campus.
