Definition

Bribery is defined as the act of giving, receiving and offering of a bribe which purposely to
give or pay someone in power such as officials, semi-official or licensees who are deemed
bound by the ethical standard, accepting of something of value in exchange for a specific
favourable desired outcomes. Bribery can be in the form of money, donation, loan, fee, gift,
expensive collateral, and properties rights in properties or any other similar benefits.

Based on OECD, Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in

International Business Transactions and Related Documents (2011), Bribery is defined as
offering, promising and giving something of value to alter and influencing a public official in
the execution of their normal duties. To put in other words, it was the act of giving or
receiving a financial or other advantage in connection with someone of a position of trust, or
a function that is expected to be performed transparently or in good faith.

Moreover, According to Zaharuddin Bin Abd Rahman in 2008, he defined bribe as a

reward that is earned by completing a task for a specific party that was supposed to be
done without putting any favouritism on whether to bring benefit to that party or avoiding
harm. Plus, Legal Information Institute (2010) also defined as the offering, giving, soliciting,
or receiving of any item of value as a means of manipulating the actions of a person which
holding a public or legal duty. This type of action results in, matters that should be handled
objectively being handled in a manner best fitting the private interests of the decision
maker. Thus in Malaysia, Act 575, Anti-corruption act was introduced in 1997 to taking
action of reported bribery cases in Malaysia. Anti-Corruption Agency (SPRM) was introduced
to to make further and better condition to prevent or demolished corruption and for matters
necessary there to or connected there with few section.
History of Bribery

Bribery is not a new phenomenon; it has been a part of human societies since the
oldest of times. People use to bribe other to increase their social status or increase their
financial income by doing something unethical and beyond their job scope. Back in the
ancient time, the king of India, Kantilla wrote a book which called Arthashastra which
discussing in detailed about bribery. In medieval era, person who commits bribery will be
thrown in the deepest of hell to repent for their corrupt behaviours. American Constitution
made bribery one of the two explicitly-mentioned crimes currently paid to corruption is
unprecedented and nothing short of extraordinary.

On the late of 1990’s, cases of bribery among officials, political and business leader
are significantly increasing that concerning the international and non-governmental
organization. They urged political and business leaders to establish high standards of
honesty, ethics, and social responsibility. This issues is the turning points to fight against
corruption, money laundering, and black markets around the world as well as to the
recognition of the importance of governance (International Encyclopaedia of the Social
Sciences, 2008).

Practice of Bribery

Malaysia and in many regions of the world, bribery is considered as a serious offense, and it
can be severely punished. Few of bribery practice were discussed which had taken in place
in Malaysia for the past 10 years. One of the largest practices of bribery recorded in the year
of 2015 is the corruption involving Sabah Water Department. A total amount of RM114.5M
which comprises of cash, jewelry, watches, branded handbags and luxury cars was
confiscated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). It is also reported by
MACC that Water Department officials were suspected to have misuse their power by
endowing contracts to 38 companies owned by their families or cronies.