Company ownership transparency appeal / India activist wins US award / World Bank debars firm

Hundreds of academics, civil society groups and business leaders join call for UN General Assembly to end anonymous shell companies.  “Transparency International...submitted an appeal to the UN General Assembly from more than 700 signatories calling for a new global standard for transparency in company ownership. The appeal comes ahead of the UN General Assembly Special Session Against Corruption, UNGASS 2021, scheduled for June. It asks that UNGASS 2021 commits all countries to set up national, public registers of companies, disclosing the real individuals who own, control or benefit from them.”

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/press/ungass-2021-hundreds-join-petition-to-end-anonymous-shell-companies  

 

Anjali Bharadwaj among 12 people named by Biden admin for newly-instituted anti-corruption award.  “Anjali Bharadwaj, an Indian social activist working on issues of transparency and accountability, is…named by the Biden administration for the newly-instituted International Anti-Corruption Champions Award. According to the State Department…[she] has served as an active member of the Right to Information Movement in India for over two decades.”

The Hindu: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/anjali-bharadwaj-among-12-people-named-by-biden-admin-for-newly-instituted-anti-corruption-award/article33924806.ece  

 

World Bank Group Debars Ferrostaal Oil & Gas GmbH.  “[Ferrostaal Oil & Gas GmbH] assisted a company by acting as the company’s local Myanmar partner and agent to prepare a bid for a contract under the project. FSOG’s local representative and managing director of its Myanmar branch instructed the company not to disclose the agreed commission to be paid to FSOG in the initial bid and did not correct this omission in a later amendment to the contract.”

World Bank: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2021/02/24/world-bank-group-debars-ferrostaal-oil-gas-gmbh   

Thailand police promotion scandal / Afghanistan 321 officials sacked / Japan Prime Minister's son

Police ‘have no duty’ to explain ‘Elephant Ticket’ scandal.  “[Thai] Police top brass remained silent…on the bombshell revelation by an opposition MP that police officers can advance up the ranks just by securing a letter signed by powerful figures, without having to go through the formal channels. Move Forward Party lawmaker Rangsiman Rome showed evidence of the shortcut, known as “The Elephant Ticket,” during a censure debate.”

Khaosod English: https://www.khaosodenglish.com/politics/2021/02/22/police-have-no-duty-to-explain-elephant-ticket-scandal/  

 

Afghanistan: 321 officials sacked for corruption.  “According to the Interior Ministry, cases of the officials charged with corruption and extortion from highway transporters have been referred to the Attorney General’s Office for further investigation…The sackings followed a three-week strike by goods transporters over the corruption allegations.”

Anadolu Agency: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/afghanistan-321-officials-sacked-for-corruption/2152193  

 

Senior bureaucrats ousted amid wining and dining scandal involving Suga's son. “[Japan’s] communications ministry said…it has replaced two senior bureaucrats and is considering reprimands following reports that its officials were treated to expensive dinners by a son of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in a possible violation of the ethics code…Under the National Public Service Ethics Law, government officials are banned from being wined and dined by people with interests in affairs related to the officials’ duties.”

The Japan Times: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/19/national/suga-son-scandal-reprimands/

Indonesia soverign fund manager / UN Inter-Parliamentary Union priority / Global fishing corruption

For Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, Widodo’s choice of managers supplies needed credibility (Opinion).  “Ridha Wirakusumah, who was named as head of the Indonesia Investment Authority, gets high marks for his integrity and experience. In the wake of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal, Indonesian government knew it needed ‘top-of-the-line professional management’ for fund, economist says.”

Richard Borsuk/South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3122076/indonesias-sovereign-wealth-fund-widodos-choice-managers-supplies  

 

Make ‘every effort’ to save COVID-19 response from corruption, UN Assembly President urges. “Taking place on 17-18 February, the 2021 [Inter-Parliamentary Union-UN Annual Parliamentary Hearing] focuses on fighting corruption to restore trust in government and improve development prospects. The Hearing is part of the parliamentary contribution to the political declaration of the General Assembly special session against corruption.”

Relief Web: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/make-every-effort-save-covid-19-response-corruption-un-assembly-president-urges  

 

Corporate Corruption in Global Fishing Gets New Attention.  “For the developing world, the broader consequence of corporate secrecy and fake companies in the fishing industry is the rapid depletion of their fishing stocks, which is especially dangerous for regions that depend on fish as their primary dietary source of protein…The demand for cheap, readily accessible seafood in Asian, American, and European countries continues to fuel this sort of faraway corruption and criminality,”

Charlotte Norsworthy and Joseph Sullivan/Sentient Media: https://sentientmedia.org/corporate-corruption-in-global-fishing-gets-new-attention/  

Anti-corruption and peacebuilding / Donor anti-corruption performance / Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy

Two roads that will never meet? An agenda for dialogue on the intersection of peacebuilding and anti-corruption (Blog).  “Yet my experience in recent years working in the anti-corruption field suggests that anti-corruption practitioners are not typically attuned to how their work intersects with conflict dynamics — with consequences for the effectiveness of their work, as well as for conflict itself…This siloed existence is slowly changing, in part driven by experiences of the international community in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Diana Chigas/Tufts University: https://sites.tufts.edu/ihs/two-roads-that-will-never-meet-an-agenda-for-dialogue-on-the-intersection-of-peacebuilding-and-anti-corruption/       

 

Reassessing donor performance in anti-corruption: Pathways to more effective practice (Issue Paper).  “A significant evidence base has accumulated that demonstrates how current donor approaches fall far short of their ambitions. This publication proposes new pathways [challenging] the current orthodoxies of donor thinking, donor organisation, and donor relationships with others, both within their own governments and with the recipients of their assistance.”

Phil Mason/U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre: https://www.u4.no/publications/reassessing-donor-performance-in-anti-corruption    

 

NAB sets up Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy.  “[Pakistan’s] National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Justice Javed Iqbal said…that the NAB established its own state of the art Pakistan Anti-Corruption Academy (PACA) as it always accords high priority for capacity building of its Investigation Officers (IOs) and prosecutors on regular basis on modern lines as training is continuous process, which is an effective tool for improvement and maintaining the quality of IOs and prosecutors.”

The News: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/791362-nab-sets-up-pakistan-anti-corruption-academy

UNODC Strategy 2021-2025 / Cambodia corruption and inequality / Malaysia cronyism curse

UNODC Strategy 2021-2025.  See the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s strategy for 2021-2025 via the link below. ‘Corruption and Economic Crime’ is one of its key thematic areas, along with organized crime, world drug problem, terrorism, as well as crime prevention and criminal justice.

UNODC: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/strategy/index.html

 

Cambodia’s Ball-and-Chain of Corruption and Inequality.  “Inequality and corruption might have been swept under the rug for as long as the economy kept growing at around the 7 percent mark over the 2010s, which meant that ordinary Cambodians could become a little richer each year. That’s going to be much more difficult as Cambodia will experience lean years following an estimated 2 percent economic contraction last year.”

David Hutt/The Diplomat: https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/cambodias-ball-and-chain-of-corruption-and-inequality/  

 

The curse of ‘seven generation cronyism’ (Opinion).  “This is where the “seven generation” saying comes in. When cronies are awarded contracts, it is said the agreement will last for seven generations. This means his family members are taken care of for life. Naturally, these companies are less than transparent and very few of the rakyat [ordinary citizens] will know how their money is being spent.”

Mariam Mokhtar/Free Malaysia Today: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2021/02/20/the-curse-of-seven-generation-cronyism/  

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (20 February 2021): Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Fiji, PNG

COOK ISLANDS

Cooks deny "sinister move" over audit delays.  Official documents show Cook Islands auditors repeatedly raised issues over hundreds of millions in state assets, taxes, loans and cash.

https://islandsbusiness.com/past-news-break-articles/item/3136-cooks-deny-sinister-move-over-audit-delays.html

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS

CSOs and UNDP Raise Public Awareness on Anti-corruption.  Development Services Exchange (DSE), the umbrella organisation of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Solomon Islands, in partnership with UNDP successfully concluded the reflection workshop for five grantee organizations, beneficiaries of the Transparency and Accountability Project (TAP), which aimed to discuss the achievements of the CSO’s in combatting corruption, challenges ahead and plans for the future.

https://www.solomontimes.com/news/csos-and-undp-raise-public-awareness-on-anticorruption/10635

 

FIJI

Fiji will continue to withhold USP grant.  Fijian Minister for Economy highlighted in Parliament last week that Fiji will not release the University of the South Pacific (USP) grant of $27.7m (US$13.6 million) for the year 2020/2021 because of governance issues…[Minister] Sayed-Khaiyum adds that a simple independent investigation could solve governance issues within USP.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fiji-will-continue-to-withhold-usp-grant/

 

USP Vice Chancellor Ahluwalia not a champion of good governance: Professor Naidu.  A former leading figure at the University of the South Pacific claims ousted Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia wasn’t always on the straight and narrow when it came to decision making…Naidu alleges that Ahluwalia is responsible for harassing and sacking several people, as well as the arbitrary appointment of his supporters to key positions.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/ahluwalia-not-a-champion-of-good-governance-naidu/

 

PNG

‘Too good to be true’: the deal with an Isis-linked Australian family that betrayed PNG's most marginalised.  A company owned by Australian brothers Mamdouh and Ibrahim Elomar – patriarchs of a notorious Sydney family linked to Isis and themselves formerly convicted of international bribery – have been found by a court in Singapore to have improperly paid more than $6m to a senior PNG official and his wife to buy a PNG timber company at an estimated discount of more than 90%.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/13/too-good-to-be-true-the-deal-with-an-isis-linked-australian-family-that-betrayed-pngs-most-marginalised

 

To know more about the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project please contact:

Annika Wythes, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, annika.wythes@un.org

Parliament-ACA relationship / Global extractives beneficial ownership programme / Pakistan construction sector prospects

It’s complicated: Parliament’s relationship with anti-corruption agencies in Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Maldives (Report).  “[This publication highlights the] constructive role of parliaments in overcoming the challenges [Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACA)] often face. It provides an insight into parliaments’ role in contributing to combatting corruption by exercising their legislative and oversight role in support of the effectiveness of ACAs while ensuring their independence.”

Franklin De Vrieze and Luka Glušac/Westminster Foundation for Democracy: https://www.wfd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021-01-24-Its-complicated-V2-UPDATED-1.pdf  

 

Changing the game: New global programme to curb extractive industry corruption.  “The EITI and Open Ownership…launched Opening Extractives, a global programme to advance beneficial ownership transparency. It aims to make a dramatic and sustainable difference to the level of publicly available information on the individuals who own and control extractive companies.”

Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Open Ownership/EITI: https://eiti.org/news/changing-game-new-global-programme-to-curb-extractive-industry-corruption  

 

‘Construction sector can grow if corrupt elements reined in’.  “The development of the construction sector can be sustained by identifying illegal constructions and corrupt elements, said Chairman Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Sindh [province in Pakistan,] Muhammad Iqbal Memon”

The News: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/789206-construction-sector-can-grow-if-corrupt-elements-reined-in  

Malaysia ethno-religious dynamic / Defence Companies Index / Mongolia beneficial ownership

How Ethno-Religious Divisions Stymie Anticorruption Reform in Malaysia–and What to Do About It (Blog).  “In an effort to avoid the collapse of another anticorruption coalition, advocates can and should attempt to turn [the UMNO party’s] messaging of Islamic dominance into a tool for anticorruption reform: Utilizing the UMNO-orchestrated clout that religious leaders have over their communities, preachers can emphasize the need for humility and honesty while condemning the evils of corruption and greed.”

Jennifer Kline/The Global Anticorruption Blog:  https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2021/02/12/combating-ethno-religious-divisions-in-malaysia/

 

TI: Most Defence Companies in The World Do Little to Combat Graft.  “Transparency International revealed [in its Defence Companies Index on Anti-Corruption and Corporate Transparency] that nearly three quarters of the world’s largest defence companies show minimum or no commitment to tackling corruption, wasting this way huge amounts of the nearly US$2 trillion of public money spent only in 2019 on militaries.”

Zdravko Ljubas/Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project: https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/13835-ti-most-defence-companies-in-the-world-do-little-to-combat-graft  

 

Supporting beneficial ownership transparency in Mongolia.  “Now, the Mongolian Parliament is considering a law on mining sector transparency (sometimes known as the “EITI law”) that would, among other provisions, mandate public disclosure of extractive industries’ [Beneficial Ownership] information…In the coming months, [Leveraging Transparency to Reduce Corruption initiative] will continue to work with local partners to develop a strategy for overcoming implementation gaps and building an effective BO ecosystem in Mongolia.”

Kelsey Landau and others/The Brookings Institution: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2021/02/10/supporting-beneficial-ownership-transparency-in-mongolia/

OECD Anti-corruption & Integrity Forum / Philippines anti-corruption taskforce / Malaysia civil service salary review

2021 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum - Leading through the Crisis: Integrity and Anti-Corruption for a Resilient Recovery (Registration link). “The Forum [to be held virtually 23-25 March 2021] will explore the new integrity risks, challenges and opportunities that have arisen in the COVID-19 context, as well as identify innovative solutions required to govern and conduct business with integrity, including with respect to responsible business conduct (RBC) standards, and tackle corruption in times of crisis.”

OECD: https://oecd-events.org/gacif2021  

 

Task Force vs Corruption receives over 200 reports, prepares raps for filing before Ombudsman.  “The Department of Justice-led Task Force against Corruption has received over 200 complaints and has acted on 40 reports since it started its work last year… The DOJ chief said the reports alleged violations of the Anti-Graft law, procurement law, Commission on Audit rules and social amelioration program.”

Philippine Star: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/02/16/2078149/task-force-vs-corruption-receives-over-200-reports-prepares-raps-filing-ombudsman  

 

To fight graft, review salaries every 5 years, govt told.  “[Malaysia’s] civil service salary scheme and allowances should be reviewed every five years to help in the fight against corruption among civil servants, said a former Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) president.”

Free Malaysia Today: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/02/13/fight-graft-raise-civil-service-salaries-every-5-years-says-ex-cuepacs-chief/

Indonesia local government / Singapore private sector bribery / India Arbitration bill

A crisis of corruption: Integrity in Indonesian local government.  “Indonesia fails to enforce a separation of the bureaucratic and political realms. Three specific laws put in place by politicians – Law 8/1974, Law 43/1999, and Law 5/2014 – have made public servants vulnerable to political intervention, as they assign heads of local government the authority to manage the bureaucracy directly, whether it be their career development, promotions, or appointments.”

Adfin Rochmad Baidhowah/Policy Forum: https://www.policyforum.net/a-crisis-of-corruption/      

 

16 months' jail for businesswoman in $500k bribery case.  “Malaysian Chuah Hooi Fong, 59, had earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of giving bribes to Leong Chee Shian, 50, a former IT director of logistics company Schenker (Asia Pacific)… Chuah's lawyer, Mr Edmond Pereira, said in mitigation that his client had initially rejected Leong's request for bribes, but later relented when she needed Leong's help to complete the projects in time.”

Dominic Low/The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/16-months-jail-for-businesswoman-in-500k-bribery-case

 

Governance should be left to elected members accountable to legislature: Law min.  “The [Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2021] seeks to ensure that all stakeholder parties get an opportunity to seek an unconditional stay of enforcement of arbitral awards where the underlying arbitration agreement or contract or making of the arbitral award are induced by fraud or corruption…Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the government wants to make India a big hub for domestic and international arbitration.”

Livemint: https://www.livemint.com/news/india/governance-should-be-left-to-elected-members-accountable-to-legislature-law-min-11613176565348.html   

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (13 February 2021): Fiji, PNG

FIJI

FICAC hits out at society.  The Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption has hit out at the Fiji Law Society’s comments that “corruption is not so complex – or so widespread”…FICAC said the statement was misconceived and delusional.

https://www.fijitimes.com/ficac-hits-out-at-society/

Fijian Parliament: Anti-Corruption Division Bill enacted.  The Anti-Corruption Division Bill was enacted by Parliament…[allowing] the establishment of a specialized division within the Fijian judicial system to solely deal with anti-corruption.

https://www.fijitimes.com/fijian-parliament-anti-corruption-division-bill-enacted/

Fiji does not make the rules for USP Council to operate, maintains it wants good governance.  Fijian Minister for Education, Rosy Akbar has stressed that good governance must be at the core of running the University of the South Pacific. https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fiji-does-not-make-the-rules-for-the-usp-council-to-operate-akbar/

Fiji Opposition MP Nawaikula hints at military intervention against FijiFirst government. While debating on the Anti-Corruption Division Bill, Nawaikula, had this to say…In response, Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said it is unfortunate that despite the call of a supposed coup, no member of Opposition took offence with the comment.

https://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=3636082306024c4d6d89a85b3ed8ec

'Integrity comes from the top down': whistleblower vice-chancellor vows to fight on despite exile.  The corruption-busting university vice-chancellor Pal Ahluwalia, deported from Fiji over his efforts to expose financial mismanagement at the University of the South Pacific, has said he is determined to continue in his efforts to reform the university.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/08/integrity-comes-from-the-top-down-whistleblower-vice-chancellor-vows-to-fight-on-despite-exile

 

PNG

Fisheries plant on Australia's border could be used as cover for drugs, weapons and people smuggling, experts say.  “The Torres Strait has been a drug trafficking route for decades…and always with devastating consequences for local communities, where we’ve seen how the overflow of drugs can lead to corruption in local government and the erosion of traditional power structures,” an expert said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/11/fisheries-plant-on-australias-border-could-cover-drugs-weapons-and-people-smuggling-experts-say

 

To know more about the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project please contact:

Annika Wythes, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, annika.wythes@un.org

Anti-corruption windows of opportunity / Global PEP database / Thailand government transparency recommendations

Seizing a window of opportunity: lessons from research on anti-corruption reform (Blog).  “In recent research, we framed these changes in context as “windows of opportunity” (readers of this blog may also know them as “critical junctures”). In particular, we looked at anticorruption windows created by national scandals and/or incoming presidential administrations committed to reform.”

Florencia Guerzovvich, Soledad Gattoni and Dave Algoso/Oxfam: https://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/seizing-a-window-of-opportunity-lessons-from-research-on-anticorruption-reform/  

 

New Paper: “A Proposal for a Global Database of Politically Exposed Persons” (Blog).  “As part of the global effort to combat public corruption, anti-money laundering laws require financial institutions and other entities to conduct enhanced scrutiny on so-called “politically exposed persons” (PEPs)…Unfortunately, the current system for identifying PEPs…is both inefficient and in some cases inaccurate. We therefore propose the creation of a global PEP database, organized and overseen by an inter-governmental body.”

Matthew Stephenson/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2021/02/09/new-paper-a-proposal-for-a-global-database-of-politically-exposed-persons/  

 

Recommendations for [Thai] State Agencies to Upgrade ITA to Curb Corruption.  “[Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission] decided to submit to the Cabinet its report on results of the [Integrity and Transparency Assessment] in the operations of state agencies for the 2020 fiscal year. The report also contains a set of recommendations to the Cabinet, requesting that it give support to state agencies in order to improve the ITA program.”

The Government Public Relations Department: https://thailand.prd.go.th/ewt_news.php?nid=10771&filename=index#.YCCi9IPeaEM.twitter  

India Right to Information law / Nepal anti-corruption body / Bangladesh investigative feature

Fighting corruption in Kashmir becomes tougher as territory loses its Right to Information law.  “In August 2019, when the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed in Indian Parliament, it effectively ended the special status of Jammu and Kashmir…Activists and lawyers say the central [RTI] law is less progressive than the state law.”

Safwat Zargar/Scroll.in: https://scroll.in/article/985344/fighting-corruption-in-kashmir-becomes-tougher-as-territory-loses-its-right-to-information-law  

 

What ails the CIAA? (Op-ed).  “But the problem with the agency is that it is dominated by lawyers and police people who are interested in fighting rather than investigating corruption. If it is the purpose of the agency is to fight and control corruption better rename the agency as Corruption Controlling Agency rather than “Commission for Investigating the Abuse of Authority”.    ”

Narayan Manandhar/Lokantar: https://english.lokaantar.com/news/detail/21056/  

 

Gang close to Bangladesh PM extracts bribes for state contracts. “A criminal gang is colluding with Bangladesh’s security forces to extract bribes for state contracts and job positions, all the while maintaining powerful links with the country’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, an Al Jazeera investigation has found.”

Al Jazeera Investigative Unit: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/1/gang-close-to-bangladesh-pm-extracts-bribes-for-state-contracts

Infrastructure transparency guidance note / E-procurement and COVID recovery / Tools for reducing corruption

Improving infrastructure transparency, participation and accountability during a crisis (Guidance Note). “This Guidance Note outlines how to prioritise and fast-track the implementation of one or more of the four core features of the CoST approach, without necessarily becoming part of a recognised CoST programme. Such an approach will not only help reduce risks associated with the procurement of public infrastructure during a crisis and its aftermath, but also lay the foundations for more lasting reforms.”

CoST – the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative: https://infrastructuretransparency.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Crisis-Guidance-Final.pdf  

 

Solutions in Not So Short Supply: E-Procurement and COVID-19 Recovery (Blog).  “Digitally automating key steps in the procurement process can make public transactions more ‘auditable’ and reduce the discretionary power of bureaucrats and public officials, which otherwise might breed petty corruption and kickbacks.”

Elise Blackburn/Transparency and Accountability Initiative: https://www.transparency-initiative.org/blog/7405/e-procurement-and-covid-19-recovery/        

 

Five tools for reducing corruption during COVID-19 (Blog).  “there are evidence-based tools…to help governments increase trust, strengthen their management of public funds and with that, improve their response to the current crisis…1. Improve Transparency…2. Accountability Through Civil Society…3. Harness Technology…4. Engage the Right Levers in Government…5. International Institutions can help.”

Warren Krafchik and Leslie Lang Tsai/World Bank: https://blogs.worldbank.org/governance/five-tools-reducing-corruption-during-covid-19  

Bangladesh climate project anti-corruption recommendation / Anti-corruption for COVID / Cambodia corruption complaints

Win-win: Designing climate change projects for effective anti-corruption in Bangladesh (Blog).  “Conventional anti-corruption approaches that focus on formal mechanisms of transparency and accountability have had limited effects in Bangladesh. Our research suggests [improving] anti-corruption by designing climate change projects to maximise dual-use benefits for local communities. This triggers self-interested monitoring, particularly by influential individuals, and results in effective anti-corruption in these adverse contexts.”

Mushtaq Khan and Mitchell Watkins/Oxfam: https://oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/win-win-designing-climate-change-projects-for-effective-anti-corruption-in-bangladesh/  

 

Why fighting corruption matters in times of COVID-19.  “Our findings suggest that in an increasingly uncertain world, where emergencies abound, fighting corruption is key to ensuring better preparedness for crises responses.”

Jon Vrushi and Roberto Martínez B. Kukutschka/Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2020-research-analysis-why-fighting-corruption-matters-in-times-of-covid-19  

 

660 complaints on corruption filed last year.  “[Cambodia’s National Council Against Corruption] said that out of the 660 complaints filed, 350 cases were investigated and findings revealed that there was no clear evidence of corrupt deeds in almost all cases.”

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea/Khmer Times: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50809477/660-complaints-on-corruption-filed-last-year/

Corruption deepens COVID impact / Freedom of expression and corruption / Bangladesh anti-corruption performance

 

 

From: ap-intact@groups.undp.org <ap-intact@groups.undp.org>
Sent: Monday, February 8, 2021 6:59 AM
To: ap-intact <ap-intact@groups.undp.org>
Subject: [ap-intact] Corruption deepens COVID impact / Freedom of expression and corruption / Bangladesh anti-corruption performance

 

---

Follow AP-INTACT on Twitter (https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork) and join our community on Linkedin (http://bit.ly/apintactlinkedin) You can also find our news archive on Blogger (http://newsbin-apintact.blogspot.com/)
If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead.

---

Corruption deepens COVID impact in developing Asia: report.  “Asia has fared relatively poorly in Transparency International's latest report on public sector corruption across the globe, with the civil society group drawing a link between some countries' below-par performance and questionable handling of COVID-19.”

Dylan Loh/Nikkei Asia: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Coronavirus/Corruption-deepens-COVID-impact-in-developing-Asia-report     

 

Lack of transparency (Opinion).  “When we refuse people the right to speak and when there is a threat hanging over all those who dare to do so, then corruption can only grow and become more deeply embedded in the soil of the land.”

Kamila Hyat/The News: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/784577-lack-of-transparency  

 

A disappointing performance once again (Opinion).  “What particularly contributes to [Bangladesh’s] non-delivery of the zero-tolerance pledge, and hence poor performance in CPI, is the ever intensifying linkages among politics, big money and corruption which have been taking an institutional shape, causing detachment of public interest from the decisions and actions of the state.”

Iftehkharuzzaman/The Daily Star: https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/news/disappointing-performance-once-again-2035785  

Thank you to Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Transparency International Bangladesh for sharing this article.

---

AP-INTACT is the Asia-Pacific Integrity in Action network, a moderated mailing list facilitated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bangkok Regional Hub and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with support from the UK Government Prosperity Fund ASEAN Economic Reform Programme and Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The message in this email is shared for your information. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, UNDP, UNODC, the UK Government, Australian Government, or DFAT.

You are welcome to contribute news, an event, publication, job opportunity, query, and other information to AP-INTACT. Please send to ap-intact@groups.undp.org (include a link to the original source or to a contact address).

To subscribe/unsubscribe, please contact the facilitation team at ap-intact@groups.undp.org. Please note -- hitting the "reply" or "reply to all" button sends your email to the facilitation team of this network.

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (6 February 2021): Fiji, Vanuatu

FIJI

SODELPA referred to FICAC for breaches.  The Registrar of Political Parties has referred the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) to the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption (FICAC) for breaches of the Political Parties Act.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/politics/sodelpa-referred-to-ficac-for-breaches/

$50 Bribe Lands Former LTA Officer 8 Months Behind Bars.  He had denied the charge [of accepting the bribe to pass a vehicle without conducting a fitness inspection] but was found guilty and convicted accordingly.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2021/01/29/50-bribe-lands-former-lta-officer-8-months-behind-bars/

Corruption Index 2020 Shows Nations Struggling To Combat it.  While the Asia Pacific region is diverse in both size and scale, most countries still struggle to improve their anti-corruption efforts. Some bright spots exist where countries have made substantial gains to build integrity.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2021/01/30/corruption-index-2020-shows-nations-struggling-to-combat-it/

Whistle-blower vice-chancellor deported after midnight raid by Fiji police.  Fiji police have carried out a midnight raid at the home of Pal Ahluwalia, the vice-chancellor of the prestigious University of the South Pacific, and summarily deported him on orders of the prime minister…Ahluwalia’s previous exposure of allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement under previous university administrations has angered the Fijian government.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/05/whistleblower-vice-chancellor-deported-after-midnight-raid-by-fiji-police

 

VANUATU

Vanuatu public prosecutor files against a former Prime Minister Charlot Salwai.  Vanuatu's public prosecutor, Josiah Ludvaune, has filed an appeal against a Supreme Court judgement on corruption and bribery charges against former prime minister Charlot Salwai and three others.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/435871/in-brief-news-from-around-the-pacific-5-february

 

To know more about the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project please contact:

Annika Wythes, Regional Anti-Corruption Adviser, UNODC, annika.wythes@un.org

Chinese company anti-corruption campaign / Mining transparency framework / Supreme Audit Institutions' role

Tencent fires 100 employees, blacklists 37 firms in anti-graft campaign.  “Tencent Holdings Ltd [China’s biggest social media and video games company] named 37 companies it had blacklisted from future contracts and said it has fired more than 100 staff over embezzlement and bribery incidents.”

Pei Li and Brenda Goh/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tencent-corruption-idUSKBN2A30DW  

 

Miners using new ESG and transparency framework.  “Mining Shared Value (MSV), a non-profit initiative of Engineers Without Borders announced that four mining companies have now adopted the Mining Local Procurement Reporting Mechanism (LPRM)…[It] is structured like the Global Reporting Initiative, providing a set of disclosures for companies to provide information on key elements, such as local procurement policies, how much is spent in host countries, and supplier development programmes.”

Mining.com: https://www.mining.com/miners-using-new-esg-and-transparency-framework/ 

 

Combating Corruption By Promoting Transparency.  The analysis…confirmed [Supreme Audit Institutions] are principal agencies in this endeavor [to promote transparency and combat corruption] and points to a continued emphasis on auditors to identify corrupt practices and fraud indicators.”

Dr. Sutthi Suntharanurak, Pitikhun Nilthanom, Pattarawarin Boonchoo, Sutthida Paiboon, Pimlapas Somla & Phongsawat Maneewong/International Journal of Government Auditing: http://intosaijournal.org/combating-corruption-by-promoting-transparency/  

Bangladesh journey towards anti-corruption / Nepal year of corruption / Mega Sport Event infrastructure corruption

The journey towards fighting corruption (Opinion).  “In Bangladesh, economic growth has so far been autonomous of governance to a large extent. However, to improve the efficiency of development efforts and to propel economic growth, corruption has to be rooted out.”

Fahmida Khatun/The Daily Star: https://www.thedailystar.net/opinion/macro-mirror/news/the-journey-towards-fighting-corruption-2037057  

 

A year of corruption (Opinion).  “In a pandemic year tarnished by corruption scandal after corruption scandal involving officials from the ruling Nepal Communist Party government, it was no wonder that the perception of corruption in the country would take a beating.”

Bhadra Sharma/the Record: https://www.recordnepal.com/wire/features/a-year-of-corruption/  

 

Why corruption exists in Mega Sport Event infrastructure and what to do about it. “[Engineers Against Poverty] publishes its latest research on the ramifications of corruption in Mega Sport Event (MSEs) infrastructure, a reoccurring issue in MSE history. The research outlines how key issues in infrastructure delivery such as poor planning and ineffective channels to report wrongdoing can be addressed, with our recommendations centred on principles of transparency and collaboration.”

Engineers Against Poverty: http://engineersagainstpoverty.org/news/why-corruption-exists-in-mega-sports-event-infrastructure-and-what-to-do-about-it/

Viet Nam anti-corruption czar stays / Thailand faring pooly on graft / Transparency Public Procurement Rating Report

Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam's anti-corruption czar, crowned party chief again. “Trong, 76, winning a rare third term as general secretary of the ruling Communist Party…combines decades at the pinnacles of power with the cultivated image of a frugal wordsmith…Famed for his “blazing furnace” crackdown on corruption, Trong’s Communist Party has also been criticised by human rights groups for a crackdown on dissent.”

James Pearson/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-vietnam-politics-trong/nguyen-phu-trong-vietnams-anti-corruption-czar-crowned-party-chief-again-idUSKBN2A006T

 

Faring poorly for graft (Editorial).  “Although the [Corruption Perception Index] reflects only public perception, the ranking is no exaggeration where Thailand is concerned. The new coronavirus outbreak that was linked to migrant worker smuggling and gambling dens is proof of rampant corruption in state agencies.”

Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2060339/faring-poorly-for-graft

 

2020 Report of Transparent Public Procurement Rating (Report).  “The report is based on the evaluation of 40 countries worldwide, spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and Americas…The TPPR Methodology is envisioned to be a universal methodology for assessing public procurement legislations (PPLs) with the ultimate goal of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of relevant legal frameworks.”

Institute for Development of Freedom of Information: https://idfi.ge/en/transparent_public_procurement_rating-report_2020 

CPI top countries / Philippines railways ex-official / Banking sector accountability

CPI 2020: trouble at the top – an analysis.  “Here we look at some of the biggest corruption issues facing countries in the top 25 of the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index, with scores of 67 and above…Unaccountable financial services…enabling flows of corrupt cash…politics in the interest of a few…exporting corruption along with goods and services…[and] forgetting integrity in the panic of a crisis.”

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2020-trouble-at-the-top   

 

Ex-PNR top official convicted of graft for illegal deals.  “The [Philippine anti-corruption court] Sandiganbayan has found Manuel Andal, former general manager of the Philippine National Railways, guilty of graft for illegally approving contracts in 2009…He was also asked by the court to reimburse the government P86.5 million (approx. US$1.8 mil), which is the amount of public funds unlawfully spent in one of the transactions.”

AC Nicholls/CNN Philippines: https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/1/27/PNR-general-manager-Manuel-Andar-graft.html      

 

“See No Evil, Hear No Evil” – How to Reinforce Banking Sector Accountability (Blog).  “While it may not be immediately obvious, there is a link between behavior and accountability involving the banking sector to many important causes, like anti-corruption, anti-human trafficking, countering terrorist finance, and much more. This blog highlights the rationale for this investigative work and offers five suggestions on how funders can help scale its impact.”

Richard Christel/Transparnecy & Accountability Initiative: https://www.transparency-initiative.org/blog/7304/how-to-reinforce-banking-sector-accountability/