Indonesia ex-minister COVID graft / Law enforcement integrity webinar / Mongolia specialized anti-corruption court

Ex-Indonesian minister jailed for 12 years in Covid-19 graft scandal.  “Former Indonesian social affairs minister Juliari Batubara has been sentenced to 12 years in prison over a multi-million dollar Covid-19 graft scandal…after receiving 32.4 billion rupiah ($2.25 million) in kickbacks in relation to the procurement of goods intended for Covid-19 social assistance packages.”

Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/2169863/ex-indonesian-minister-jailed-for-12-years-in-covid-19-graft-scandal  

 

Strengthening Law Enforcement Integrity (Webinar).  The Webinar on Tuesday 31 August 13:30-16:15 (GMT+7) is jointly organized by the American Bar Association and the UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It will  gather practitionres from the region and experts to discuss the most pernivious and common forms of corruption in policing and will provide a framework and evidence-based research for risk mitigation strategies.

UNODC: https://sites.google.com/view/law-enforcement-integrity  

 

Mongolia: specialized anti-corruption court for corruption crimes should be established.  “The Standing Committee on Legal Affairs was instructed to study the establishment of a court to deal exclusively with corruption cases and, if necessary, to work expeditiously to create a legal environment.” said Mr. Zandanshatar [Chairman of the Parliament].”

Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia: https://www.iaac.mn/news/mongolia-specialized-anti-corruption-court-for-corruption-crimes-should-be-established/   

Malaysia fair business for SMEs / Philippines COVID funds question / Thailand anti-corruption campaign backlash

Promoting a Fair Business Environment in Malaysia (Blog).  “After engaging with key public sector institutions over the last few years on strengthening national anti-corruption measures in Malaysia, UNDP’s approach now establishes efforts to enhance business integrity in the private sector. Working with SMEs helps to ensure a rigorous approach in addressing graft and creating a fair business environment in the country, as they contribute to the dynamism of the Malaysian economy.”

Ashvinder Singh/UNDP: https://www.my.undp.org/content/malaysia/en/home/blog/2021/promoting-a-fair-business-environment-in-malaysia.html

 

Duterte faces fire for missing Covid-19 funds.  “Amid the sickness, death and economic collapse, a recent report by the Commission on Audit (COA), a constitutionally independent body, claimed up to 67.32 billion pesos ($1.3 billion) of Covid-19 management and relief funds were either unspent or underutilized… According to the COA, there were also huge budgetary discrepancies and anomalies under the departments of education, information communications technology, overseas workers welfare administration and others.”

Jason Castaneda/Asia Times: https://asiatimes.com/2021/08/duterte-faces-fire-for-missing-covid-19-funds/  

 

Govt's 'speak up' against graft push ill-timed (Opinion).  “Part of the reason why the "speak up" campaign is seen as "fake" is because it seems to present itself as a bold move when there is nothing bold about it at all…In this time and age when people take to social media every day to question basically every deal that government agencies are involved with -- from regulating the prices of surgical masks to Covid-19 vaccines to antigen test kits -- what has been done about them?”

Atiya Achakulwisut/Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2170227/govts-speak-up-against-graft-push-ill-timed  

SME business integrity / Afghanistan conflict and corruption / Emerging technologies for judicial integrity

Business Integrity in Small and Medium Enterprises (Webinar).  This webinar on Wednesday 25 August, 13:00-16:00 (GMT+7) provides an opportunity for business integrity stakeholders to share innovations, resources, signs of progress, and future directions related to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Southeast Asia, with a focus on the management of corruption risks and third-party due diligence, which are high priorities of the private business sector. The American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative will also be launching the Practical Guide to Corruption Risk Assessment for Small and Medium Enterprise (SMEs) to help organisations promote integrity and responsible business conduct.”

Ethixbase: https://ethixbase.com/webinar-business-integrity-in-smes-risk-assessment-and-corruption-prevention    

 

Conflict and corruption: Case of Afghanistan, lesson for Nepal (Commentary).  “The history of corruption has taught us one lesson: If it is the corruption that can prop up a regime then it is again the corruption that could lead to its swift downfall.”

Narayan Manandhar/Nepal Live Today: https://www.nepallivetoday.com/2021/08/22/conflict-and-corruption-case-of-afghanistan-lesson-for-nepal/  

 

Release of research into Emerging Technologies impact on Judicial Integrity (Virtual event).  “The Judicial Integrity Network ASEAN has surveyed judges in the region and conducted research into the implications of new technologies on judicial integrity and court excellence…On September 21st we will share the research results and invite feedback on the tools. You can provide feedback on these tools in a strategic foresight workshop as part of the launch event”

United Nations Development Programme: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/jin-asean-emerging-technologies-research-launch-tickets-167126171879                        

Constitutionalizing Anticorruption Commissions / Stopping vaccine corruption / Mongolia land registry service digitalization

A Cautious Challenge to Constitutionalizing Anticorruption Commissions (Blog).  “While some, such as those in Hong Kong and Singapore, have effectively executed their mandate to investigate and prosecute instances of graft, bribery, and other forms of corruption, others ACCs have been criticized as toothless, inefficient, or themselves corrupt…The evidence is murky and inconclusive, but there are some reasons to doubt whether constitutionalization can overcome the obstacles that have limited the effectiveness of ACCs in the past.”

Brooke Davies/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2021/08/09/a-cautious-challenge-to-constitutionalizing-anticorruption-commissions/  

 

How to stop vaccine corruption, which is plaguing the global fight against COVID-19 (Opinion).  “A wave of vaccine corruption scandals have shaken the global COVID-19 vaccine rollout... Global partnership is critical to uprooting this corruption. At the same time, local governments, businesses, and whistleblowers can work together to crack down on black markets.”

Muhammad Jawad Noon/Fortune: https://fortune.com/2021/08/14/covid-vaccine-corruption-distribution-rollout/  

 

Mongolia: elimination of red tape in land registry government services.  “Last week, most of the complaints received through the Government Public Relations Center Hotline were related to the Capital city and District Land Registry offices…It has been decided to fully digitize land registry services, the main goals are to provide citizens with information related to land possession, and ownership through an online website, and to introduce the electronic land registry system to the public.”

Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia: https://www.iaac.mn/news/mongolia-elimination-of-red-tape-in-land-registry-government-services/  

Mongolia bribes recovery / Indonesians attitude on corruption and environment / History lessons from French Viet Nam

Mongolia: USD 224 thousand recovered during the investigation.  “Investigators from the [Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia] have transferred large sums of bribes seized during criminal investigations [of N. Bayarsaikhan, who received a large amount of bribes from citizens and business entities during his tenure as head of the division of the Specialized Inspection Agency] to the state treasury account of the Ministry of Finance.”

Independent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia: https://www.iaac.mn/news/mongolia-usd-224-thousand-recovered-during-the-investigation?lang=en   

 

Indonesians’ attitudes to corruption and the environment – results of new survey released on 18 August.  To gain a better insight into what the Indonesian public thinks about this issue and others relevant to corruption, governance and natural resources, the Basel Institute on Governance and Lembaga Survei Indonesia (LSI), the leading Indonesian pollster, jointly conducted polls and interviews during July 2021. A virtual event on 18 August will present the study’s findings.”

Basel Institute on Governance: https://baselgovernance.org/news/indonesians-attitudes-corruption-and-environment-results-new-survey-released-18-august  

 

Nation-Building and Corruption: A Warning from French Vietnam (Blog).  “In attempting to build this new country, however, French leaders turned a blind eye to a corruption scheme—the so-called “Piastres Affair”—that would gravely weaken this enterprise… Much as unchecked corruption in French Indochina led to French taxpayers footing the bill for their enemy, reports have shown that corrupt Pakistani officials have taken American aid to Pakistan and funneled large chunks of the aid to the Taliban in Afghanistan.”

Michael Glanzel/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2021/07/30/nation-building-and-corruption-a-warning-from-french-vietnam/  

Olympics' possible anti-corruption legacy / Republic of Korea Samsung bribery sentence / China social media executive fired

Can the Olympics leave an anti-corruption legacy? (Blog).  “[We] may one day be able to say that a country is better governed in relation to human rights and anti-corruption because it hosted the Olympics or FIFA World Cup…[For example, an] organizing committee (the local host-city/country entity that oversees preparations) requires all third parties to adopt anti-corruption compliance and human rights due diligence, even if local law does not so require.”

Andy Spalding/The FCPA Blog: https://fcpablog.com/2021/08/09/can-the-olympics-leave-an-anti-corruption-legacy/  

 

Samsung boss to be freed from jail after bribery sentence.  “The billionaire boss of South Korea’s Samsung empire will be freed from jail on Friday after serving part of a 30-month sentence for bribing former South Korea president Park Geun-hye.”

Rupert Neate/The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/09/samsung-boss-to-be-freed-from-jail-after-bribery-sentence  

 

Sina Weibo kicks out executive in charge of public relations for taking bribes.  “Mao Taotao, former senior public relations director at Sina Weibo, one of the most popular social media platforms in China, was fired and blocked from future employment, as he was detained by police on suspicion of accepting bribes and committing fraud, Sina said in a statement”

Global Times: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202108/1231061.shtml    

India Chennai authority restructuring / Malaysia Selangor fast-track order / Nepal conflict of interest in parliament

CMDA goes in for restructuring to curb corruption.  “In what could be a massive internal restructure of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), 17 officials, including three chief planners, were transferred for the first time in 10 years. Sources said the move is aimed at ensuring transparency”

The New Indian Express: https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2021/aug/07/cmda-goes-in-for-restructuring-to-curb-corruption-2341341.html  

 

Speed up trials on corruption cases, says Selangor Sultan.  “[In Malaysia, the] Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has ordered the trials of corruption cases to be speeded up. He said courts should not entertain postponement of cases without solid reasons because the people were fed up and tired of seeing prosecutions being dragged on for too long.”

Free Malaysia Today: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/08/05/speed-up-trials-on-corruption-cases-says-selangor-sultan/  

 

Conflict of interest continues unchecked in Nepal’s government, parliament.  “The discussion started after two Nepali Congress leaders who were businessmen were made federal and provincial ministers… Many called these appointments wrong as they suspected the use of influence and money. Likewise, legal experts say a conflict of interest will arise with these appointments.”

Rabindra Ghimire and Raghunath Bajagain/Online Khabar: https://english.onlinekhabar.com/conflict-of-interest-continues-unchecked-in-nepals-government-parliament.html

Malaysia 1MDB asset recovery / Philippines anti-human trafficking campaign / Pakistan opposition anti-corruption report

US Justice Department Returns More Than $1 Billion in Stolen Malaysian Funds   .  “The U.S. Justice Department said Thursday it has returned an additional $452 million stolen from Malaysia’s investment fund known as 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), bringing the total amount of money repatriated to the Malaysian government in the last five years to at least $1.2 billion.”

VOA News: https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-justice-department-returns-more-1-billion-stolen-malaysian-funds  

 

Christian group slates Duterte over human trafficking.  “A group of Catholics and evangelicals in the Philippines has challenged President Rodrigo Duterte to end human trafficking by stamping out corruption by state officials.”

Joseph Peter Calleja/Union of Catholic Asian News: https://www.ucanews.com/news/christian-group-slates-duterte-over-human-trafficking/93544#  

 

PML-N will launch ‘corruption paper’ on 3 years of Imran Khan govt to reveal its ‘financial irregularities’.  “The opposition party in Pakistan have planned to launch a ‘corruption paper’ on alleged financial deceits done by Imrah Khan’s party during its three-year term.”

ANI News: https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/pml-n-will-launch-corruption-paper-on-3-years-of-imran-khan-govt-to-reveal-its-financial-irregularities20210805062932/   

Audit institutions independence index / Nepal judiciary corruption report / Republic of Korea new secretary of state

Supreme Audit Institutions Independence Index : 2021 Global Synthesis Report.  “This report aims to inform and better equip World Bank task teams and development partners to support the strengthening of Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) in client countries… The report also responds to yearnings of several development partners to better understand the degree of SAI independence in countries and regions.”

World Bank: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36001?deliveryName=DM111286 

 

Supreme Court panel reports rampant corruption in judiciary that begins with justice selection.  “A team commissioned by Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana has reported that corruption and irregularities are rampant in [Nepal’s] judiciary…The around-250-page report has identified the existing justice appointment process as the most significant factor behind corruption in the judiciary.”

Krishna Gyawali/Online Khabar: https://english.onlinekhabar.com/supreme-court-panel-reports-rampant-corruption-in-judiciary-that-begins-with-justice-selection.html   

 

Moon picks new secretaries for civil affairs, fight against corruption.  “Lee Ki-heon, secretary to Moon for civil participation, was tapped as secretary for civil affairs and justice, to replace Lee Gwang-cheol, according to Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. Lee offered to resign early this month after being indicted on suspicions that he was behind an allegedly illegal travel ban on a former vice justice minister involved in a bribery scandal.”

The Korea Herald: http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210730000314