Hong Kong policeman jailed / Corruption, inequality, poverty / Japanese train collusion

Senior Hong Kong policeman jailed for 28 months for pocketing HK$570,000 in bribes.  A Hong Kong police superintendent who admitted to pocketing HK$570,000 (US$72,700) in bribes was sentenced to 28 months in jail, as the judge slammed the senior officer for neglecting his role as a law enforcer.

Sum Lok-kei/South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2169103/senior-hong-kong-policeman-jailed-28-months-hk570000

 

A tax on the poor to benefit the rich: Corruption and Inequality (Blog).  “Arguably the greatest impact on inequality and poverty is ‘grand corruption’, the large-scale looting of state resources and organised influence of state actions by elites.”

Max Lawson/Open Government Partnership: https://www.opengovpartnership.org/stories/tax-on-poor-benefit-rich-corruption-and-inequality

 

Japan firms fined $3.4M over train bidding corruption.  Two major construction companies were ordered to pay fines more than $3 million for colluding to win contracts on Japan’s multi-billion-dollar maglev project that expected to begin commercial service in 2027.

Politiko: http://politics.com.ph/japan-firms-fined-3-4m-over-train-bidding-corruption/

China-Pakistan anti-corruption cooperation / Indonesia projects bribery / Malaysia on corruption

China to help Pakistan curb corruption.  The Chinese Minister of International Development assured PM Khan of China’s support and cooperation to successfully implement the agenda of fighting corruption, alleviating poverty and developing agriculture.

Muhammad Saleh Zaafir/The News: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/381328-china-to-help-pakistan-curb-corruption

 

Bribery Probe Hurts One of Southeast Asia's Biggest Projects.  “The home of Lippo Group’s Deputy Chairman James Riady was searched by anti-graft officials, the latest development in a bribery probe that has entangled one of Indonesia’s leading business conglomerates and thrown into doubt the future of a major development project touted as the “Shenzhen of Indonesia.”

Harry Suhartono and David Yong/Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-17/arrests-leave-one-of-southeast-asia-s-biggest-projects-in-limbo

 

Corruption now a thing of the past in Malaysia, says Mahathir.  The Prime Minister also noted that the government needed to ensure that strong evidence was obtained before bringing any corruption case involving politicians or non-politicians to court.

Channel NewsAsia: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/corruption-malaysia-thing-of-the-past-mahathir-mohamad-10850716

Building peaceful world / Irrawaddy funds return / China anti-corruption analysis

Building a peaceful and safer world through collective action in the fight against corruption (Blog).  “This will focus on setting ambitious objectives to tackle corruption together, including promoting beneficial ownership transparency, including the possibility of establishing public registries; and making sure that published contracting data and documents meet global best practices.”

Delia Ferreira, Mari Kiviniemi, Sanjay Pradan and Ulla Tornaes/Transparency International: https://voices.transparency.org/building-a-peaceful-and-safer-world-through-collective-action-in-the-fight-against-corruption-84523edc8982

 

Irrawaddy Govt Tells Ex-Chief Minister to Return Over $3 M in Development Funds.  The Irrawaddy Region government has warned its former chief minister to return within two months the 5.2 billion kyats ($3.28 million) he collected in regional development funds but had so far failed to hand over to new government – otherwise he will face a lawsuit.

Salai Thant Zin/The Irrawaddy: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/irrawaddy-govt-tells-ex-chief-minister-return-3-m-development-funds.html

 

China lays down the law in corruption clampdown (Analysis).  “Once the National Supervisory Commission launches an investigation, legal counsel will not be allowed,” Qin Qianhong, a professor of law at Wuhan University, said. “This means that suspects are not only denied access to a lawyer during the liuzhi [early] phase but throughout the whole operational process where the Supervisory Commission is involved,”

Gordon Watts/Asia Times: http://www.atimes.com/article/china-lays-down-the-law-in-corruption-clampdown/

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (20 October 2018): Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands

Passports a ticket to corruption in the Pacific Islands.  Since the early 1980s, Pacific island countries have sold passports to foreigners. Vanuatu is the most prominent supplier today. Passport sales in the first half of 2018 brought the country about US$39.3 million — 9 per cent of GDP.

http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2018/10/13/passports-a-ticket-to-corruption-in-the-pacific-islands/

 FIJI:

Ex-School Manager Pleads Not Guilty To Corruption Charge.  A not guilty plea was entered in the Labasa Magistrates Court on October 8 by a former school manager charged with corruption.

http://fijisun.com.fj/2018/10/13/ex-school-manager-pleads-not-guilty-to-corruption-charge/

Father and son deny corruption charges.  A father and son have pleaded not guilty to corruption-related offences before Lautoka Magistrate Rangajeeva Wimalasena.

https://www.fijitimes.com/father-and-son-deny-corruption-charges/

Ex-civil servant pleads not guilty to corruption-related offences.  A former Ministry of Foreign Affairs employee facing corruption-related offences pleaded not guilty at the Suva Magistrates Court before Magistrate Liyanage Wickramasekara.

https://www.fijitimes.com/ex-civil-servant-pleads-not-guilty-to-corruption-related-offences/

PNG:

Degree of corruption disgusting.  As a Member of Parliament and being on the inside, I can tell you that the degree of corruption is disgusting, says Madang MP Bryan Kramer.

http://www.looppng.com/png-news/degree-corruption-%E2%80%98disgusting%E2%80%99-80153

Pacific links: PNG, the fast and the furious, more.  In preparation for APEC, Papua New Guinea has imported 40 Maseratis and other luxury cars to transport foreign delegates during the forum. PNG government says cars will be on-sold to “private sector”, and not everyone is happy.

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/pacific-links-png-fast-and-furious-more

Transparency on APEC vehicles’ procurement demanded. The only way to stop allegations of corruption is to be honest and transparent in procurement process says Transparency International PNG (TIPNG)

http://www.looppng.com/png-news/transparency-apec-vehicles%E2%80%99-procurement-demanded-80220

Transparency International calls for full report on cars.  Transparency International PNG (TIPNG) is calling for the Government and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Authority to publicly disclose the total cost involved in the purchase of the luxury vehicles and to demonstrate their compliance with public procurement processes.

https://www.thenational.com.pg/transparency-international-calls-for-full-report-on-cars/

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Solomon Islander gets three years for fraud.  A thirty-two-year-old mother of four has now been sentenced to three years imprisonment after she was found guilty of obtaining a total of K39,000 from four different victims under false pretenses.

https://postcourier.com.pg/solomon-islander-gets-three-years-fraud/

Paradise Lost: New Report Reveals China’s Destructive, Illegal Logging of Solomon Islands’ Rainforest.  New evidence released today by anti-corruption NGO Global Witness shows that hugely unsustainable rates of logging and the high risk of illegal practices on the once pristine paradise of the Solomon Islands are putting China’s reputation as a global trading partner at risk.

https://yubanet.com/world/paradise-lost-new-report-reveals-chinas-destructive-illegal-logging-of-solomon-islands-rainforest/

Korean Air chief / China generals expelled / Indonesia seizes bribes

Korean Air chief indicted on embezzlement, other charges: prosecutors.  Korean Air Lines Chairman Cho Yang-ho was indicted on Monday on charges including embezzlement and breach of trust, South Korean prosecutors said, adding to a string of woes at the country’s biggest airline group.

Heekyong Yang/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-korean-air-probe/korean-air-chief-indicted-on-embezzlement-other-charges-prosecutors-idUSKCN1MP0GS

 

China expels two top former generals from Communist Party for corruption.  China expelled two disgraced former generals, Fang Fenghui and Zhang Yang from the Communist Party for corruption – the latter posthumously - saying the pair’s disloyalty and greed had damaged the military, according to the state media.

Philip Wen/Reuters:https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-corruption-military/china-expels-two-top-former-generals-from-communist-party-for-corruption-idUSKCN1MQ1HC

 

$90k worth of Singapore currency seized in Indonesia's latest corruption raid.  KPK seized roughly 102,000 USD in cash which is allegedly just a small portion of a 13 billion rupiah commitment fee that the private company promised to give rogue high-ranking local bureaucrats in Bekasi, a satellite town of Jakarta, to “smooth out” a process to get relevant permits for Lippo's Meikarta property project.

Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja/The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/90k-worth-of-singaporean-currency-seized-in-indonesias-latest-corruption-raid

Thai disability funds / Yangon funds probe / Sri Lanka amendment demands

Kalasin woman a victim of corruption in fund for disabled people.  Ratree Khamuntha, 66, was among many victims of alleged irregularities in the project for people with disability in Kalasin, Thailand whereby people were told to open bank accounts and place their ATM cards and bank books under the care of the project staff in exchange for Bt2,000-Bt4,000 in monthly allowance, not knowing there we entitled to Bt9,125 (USD280)

Jakkapong Rawiwan/The Nation:http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30356416

 

Anti-Corruption Commission to Review Complaint Calling for Investigation of Losses of Public Funds.  The findings of the auditor general’s report on the Yangon government’s budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year—submitted to the parliament in September—has not only stoked heated discussions among lawmakers in the parliament, but also attracted much public attention to the huge loss of public funds, including through the leasing of state land and buildings to private companies at rates well below standard commercial rents.

San Yamin Aung/The Irrawaddy:https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/anti-corruption-commission-review-complaint-calling-investigation-losses-public-funds.html

 

Wijeyadasa stresses need for stronger laws to battle bribery and corruption.  “The current laws only cover bribery and corruption in the public sector. But we know there is bribery and corruption thriving in the private sector as well. We need to bring in new laws to curb bribery and corruption in the private sector. We don’t have a law in reference to bribing in the guise of giving gifts or presents. There is no law on conflicts of interest or bribing foreign dealers. We need to bring in new laws covering all these sections." Higher Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said.

Saman Indrajith/The Island:http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=192629

Sri Lanka single bill / China ex-Interpol case / Pakistan-China-UAE anti-laundering agreement

Single legal instrument to combat corruption.  The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Legal Affairs (anti-corruption) and Media has agreed to consolidate all laws relating to bribery and corruption, and to formulate a comprehensive single piece of legislation that will encompass all offenses and standards according to the UNCAC, hopefully by early next year.

Anurangi Singh/Sunday Observer: http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2018/10/14/news/single-legal-instrument-combat-corruption

 

China’s detention of ex-Interpol chief highlights the arrogance of its anti-corruption investigators (Opinion).  “Chinese officials may believe their domestic considerations trump international concerns, but the universally negative international reaction to the way Meng’s detention was handled and announced has sounded another warning to China as it trumpets its aspirations to be a responsible world power.”

Wang Xiangwei/South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2168364/chinas-detention-ex-interpol-chief-highlights-arrogance-its

 

Govt to sign agreements with China, UAE to check money laundering: Shahzad Akbar.  Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar said that the government has finalised a mutual legal assistance law to obtain evidence from foreign jurisdictions about financial crimes and mega corruption cases involving Pakistanis

Dawn: https://www.dawn.com/news/1439001/govt-to-sign-agreements-with-china-uae-to-check-money-laundering-shahzad-akbar