Khaberni - The Hashemite leadership is committed to building a society free from all forms of corruption, while enhancing ethical values and making these royal efforts a solid base to support any governmental policies against corruption.
The presence of an Anti-Corruption Commission confirms that corruption exists in some aspects of public life.
Most countries in the world face this phenomenon, but the difference lies in the institutions' ability to transform laws into a cultural norm that rejects corruption, making it an unacceptable behavior both morally and socially, before being a legal violation.
In Jordan, strategies to combat corruption often remain on paper because institutional awareness has not yet been shaped and has not transformed into a frowned-upon culture.
Nepotism and favoritism – influence that comes from under the table – open doors for some and close them to others, undermine trust in institutions, and push competent individuals away from their rightful positions.
Nepotism has become part of the daily culture, and when someone is appointed to a high-ranking position, people immediately ask about their connections rather than their competence, as if success is an exceptional situation that needs justification while nepotism is natural and unsurprising. This reality weakens people’s trust in institutions and makes the institutional system less effective.
The solution requires practical and decisive steps, including quick exposure of corruption and bringing the involved parties to justice with deterrent and fair sentences. These actions are real deterrents and stop the misuse of public office.
It is also necessary to enhance the ethical culture within institutions and society so that corruption and nepotism are viewed as socially and morally unacceptable behaviors, not just legal violations that can be overlooked or managed.
A state cannot develop with the existence of two systems: an official system based on laws and a hidden system based on connections and lifting a phone receiver.
When the latter system becomes stronger, people lose respect for institutional robustness and efficiency, and individuals capable of production and innovation find no place, if a recommendation is stronger than a resume or if the whisper from under the table is louder than the voice of competence.
We need a clear decision: either nepotism remains a rare exception or it continues as a rule that kills every real opportunity.
Offering opportunities based on competence alone reveals the abilities of the youth and enhances the productivity of institutions.
Enhancing the ethical system along with the integration of legal procedures forms a strong pillar to support efforts against corruption, ensures justice, and instills trust in the heart of future investments coming to Jordan.
Fighting corruption is an investment in the state, society, institutions, and citizens are all responsible for building a culture that rejects corruption and relies on competence and effort because respecting justice and equal opportunities guarantees the future of institutions and society as a whole.
