Want fewer corruption trials? Make govt records tamper-proof

A golf club security manager testified in a corruption trial that he could not verify the accuracy of computer records showing a golf game between a former prime minister and a businessman. This lack of verifiability is a problem that affects every courtroom, tender and audit in Malaysia. The issue is not limited to one trial, as the country recently witnessed three former prime ministers in court on corruption charges.

The records of such cases, including bank statements, procurement papers and approval chains, rely on ordinary databases that can be edited by whoever holds the administrator password. Blockchain technology can provide a solution by creating a public logbook that nobody, not even the government, can rewrite. Every time a record is created, the system generates its cryptographic hash and publishes it to the blockchain.

If anyone later alters the record, the fingerprint will no longer match, making tampering instantly detectable. Implementing blockchain technology in procurement and making the National Audit Department's access to anchored expenditure logs live would help ensure the integrity of records and corner corrupt officials.