China intensifies efforts / Viet Nam asset recovery / Malaysia council member

China steps up anti-graft efforts.  China's top anti-graft watchdog will step up supervision efforts this year in larger departments and industries with more funding and resources, according to an official communique published after the 19th Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-steps-up-anti-graft-efforts

 

More than 1 billion USD retrieved from corruption, economic violations.  Viet Nam’s Ministry of Public Security’s Investigation Police Department on Economic, Corruption-related Crimes and Smuggling retrieved nearly 27 trillion VND (1.16 billion USD) from corruption and economic violations in 2018.

Vietnam+: https://en.vietnamplus.vn/more-than-1-billion-usd-retrieved-from-corruption-economic-violations/144920.vnp

 

Umno lawmaker claims trial to 12 counts of graft and money laundering.  Umno supreme council member Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim claimed trial to three counts of graft amounting to RM5.2 million (US$1.3 million) over allegations that he helped a local company to obtain government contracts.

The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/umno-lawmaker-faces-12-counts-of-graft-and-money-laundering

China asset recovery / Anti-corruption practitioners' practices / Thailand transparency undermined

China's anti-corruption campaign recovers $519 million in a year.  More than 1,000 Chinese fugitives who fled abroad were returned to the country last year and more than $519 million in ill-gotten gains was recovered, the ruling Communist Party said, in what it is seen as a further victory in President Xi Jinping's years-long drive against corruption.

NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/china-s-anti-corruption-campaign-recovers-519-million-year-n957491

 

Do Anticorruption Advocates Practice What They Preach? (Blog).  Published procedures and other arrangements safeguard the organization and its staff, and to give the organization more credibility when criticizing the lack of transparency and accountability of others.

Alan Doig/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2019/01/10/guest-post-do-anticorruption-advocates-practice-what-they-preach/

 

Thaksin, Prawit allies in undermining transparency (Opinion).  “In comparing the two men, though, it is no overstatement to say they both did Thailand a disservice by undermining efforts, however weak thus far, to improve transparency in politics and the civil service.”

The Nation:http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30362095

India CBI chief / Myanmar land corruption / Japan Olympics probe

Dismissal of CBI chief undermines India’s war on corruption (Analysis).  In a major setback for the probity and independence of anti-corruption bodies in India, a panel led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi sacked the chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Saikat Datta/Asia Times: http://www.atimes.com/article/cbi-chiefs-removal-undermines-indias-anti-corruption-efforts/

 

Anti-Corruption Commission Detains 4 Land Officials in Gwa Township.  The national Anti-Corruption Commission detained four local land-registration officials in Gwa Township, in southern Rakhine State’s Thandwe District, for allegedly taking bribes to facilitate land transactions.

Htet Naing Zaw/The Irrawaddy: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/anti-corruption-commission-detains-4-land-officials-gwa-township.html

 

French investigation of IOC’s Takeda hangs over Tokyo Olympics.  “A distant relative of Japan’s royal family — the great grandson of the Meiji Emperor — [Tsunekazu] Takeda could join a growing list of suspended IOC members, and honorary members, who are linked to corruption probes.”

The Japan Times: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/01/13/national/crime-legal/french-investigation-iocs-takeda-hangs-tokyo-olympics/#.XDr2ylwzY2w

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (12 Jan 2019): PNG, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa

Pacific predictions: 2019. A number of Pacific island countries will hold national elections this year. The peoples of Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Tuvalu, and Marshall Islands will all go to the polls in 2019.

http://www.devpolicy.org/pacific-predictions-2019-20190107/

 

PNG:

TIPNG Oppose Incentives For Cops. Transparency International PNG is of the strong view that the police hierarchy needs to focus on the real issues affecting the force rather than paying incentives to its officers in Port Moresby.

https://postcourier.com.pg/tipng-oppose-incentives-cops/

Former CNN Heavyweight Encourages Local Media to Fight Corruption in 2019. A prominent media expert from the United States has encouraged Papua New Guinean journalists to be proactive and fearless in their fight against corruption this year.

https://postcourier.com.pg/former-cnn-heavyweight-encourages-local-media-fight-corruption-2019/

PNG MP not shocked by fraud squad cuts. Papua New Guinea opposition MP, Kerenga Kua, says the country's fraud squad will not be properly funded until Peter O'Neill is removed as prime minister.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/379803/png-mp-not-shocked-by-fraud-squad-cuts

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Former Solomon Islands premier arrested on corruption charges.  The former premier of the Solomon Islands province of Temotu has been arrested on corruption charges.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/379288/former-solomon-islands-premier-arrested-on-corruption-charges  

Why police arrested Temotu leaders. Police say three Temotu leaders arrested before Christmas improperly accepted inducements or payments for considerations or decisions in their official capacity.

http://www.solomonstarnews.com/index.php/news/national/item/21207-why-police-arrested-temotu-leaders

 

FIJI:

Experts to help in fraud probe. The Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission will rope in technical expertise to help in investigations pertaining to allegations over the Lagilagi Housing Project in Raiwaqa, Suva.

https://www.fijitimes.com/experts-to-help-in-fraud-probe/

Fraud suspect to take plea next month. A 27-year-old man charged with two counts of obtaining a financial advantage by deception had his bail extended by the Suva Magistrates Court.

https://www.fijitimes.com/fraud-suspect-to-take-plea-next-month/

Bail denied for fraud suspects. Magistrate Jioji Boseiwaqa this afternoon did not grant bail to three people charged with separate counts of money laundering and fraudulent falsification of accounts amounting to $699,000 at the Suva Magistrate Court.

https://www.fijitimes.com/bail-denied-for-fraud-suspects/

 

SAMOA:

Fuimaono Afele Taimalelagi - Keeping the Government honest. “Controller and Auditor General, Fuimaono Mata’afa Papali’i Camillo G. Afele Taimalelagi, and his Office have made a big difference in an effort to keep the Government, accountable, transparent and honest.”

http://www.sobserver.ws/en/31_12_2018/local/39793/Fuimaono-Afele-Taimalelagi---Keeping-the-Government-honest.htm

 

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

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

Mihaela Stojkoska, Anti-Corruption Specialist - Pacific, UNDP, mihaela.stojkoska@undp.org

Maria Lee, Peace & Development Administrative Assistant, UNDP/UNODC, maria.lee@undp.org

KPK leaders bomb / Maldives ex-government investigation / Malaysia 1MDB rundown

Bombs found at Indonesian anti-graft commission leaders' houses.  Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders Agus Rahardjo and Laode Syarif were the target of terror threats, with unknown assailants placing what appeared to be bombs at their houses.

The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/bombs-found-at-indonesian-anti-graft-commission-leaders-houses

 

Maldivians asked to report on possible graft of prior gov’t.  The Maldives’ government has asked citizens to report information regarding allegations of corruption and abuse of power during the tenure of the strongman leader defeated in elections last year.

Bharatha Mallawarachi/The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/maldivians-asked-to-report-on-possible-graft-of-prior-govt/2019/01/09/1ddfd4b4-13da-11e9-ab79-30cd4f7926f2_story.html?utm_term=.cb0159620919

 

The 1MDB heist was one of the largest kleptocracy scandals in history (Feature/Opinion).  Click below for a collection of highlights, fun facts and analyses about the case.

Aisha Hassan/Quartz Obsession: https://qz.com/emails/quartz-obsession/1519008/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=daily-brief

China denies involvement / Pakistan ex-district police / Nepal oil chief

1MDB scandal: China denies it offered to bail out Malaysian fund.  Beijing has rejected a Wall Street Journal report citing minutes of meetings between Chinese and Malaysian officials, which claimed they offered to bail out scandal-ridden Malaysian state fund 1MDB and try to get the US and other countries to drop corruption probes into the fund, in return for Belt and Road infrastructure contracts.

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/09/1mdb-scandal-china-denies-it-offered-to-bail-out-malaysian-fund

 

NAB arrests former Gujrat DPO over graft charges.
Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) made a key arrest of a former District Police Officer in a case related to alleged embezzlement of funds of the Gujrat Police Rs 550 million (US$4 mil)

Daily Times: https://dailytimes.com.pk/342129/nab-arrests-former-gujrat-dpo-over-graft-charges/

 

Graft case filed against former Nepal Oil Corporation chief Khadka.  Nepal’s Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CCIA) filed a corruption case at the Special Court against former Nepal Oil Corporation managing director Gopal Bahadur Khadka on the charge of amassing property worth Rs186.6 million illegally.

Prithvi Man Shrestha/Kathmandu Post: http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2019-01-07/ciaa-files-corruption-case-against-noc-chief-khadka.html 

Philippine ex-councilor case / 2018 reading list / 1MDB Hollywood testimony

Sandiganbayan refuses to quash graft charge vs ex-Cebu councilor.  The Philippines anti-graft court has refused to quash the graft charge filed against former Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Abella Carillo in relation to the anomalous appointment of an administrative aide from 2013 to 2014.

Czarina Nicole Ong/Manila Bulletin: https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/01/07/sandiganbayan-refuses-to-quash-graft-charge-vs-ex-cebu-councilor/

 

2018: Five Great Reads on Corruption (Blog).  “Twenty eighteen produced many fine analyses of corruption and how to fight it.” Find out recommended titles in the link below.

Rick Messick/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2019/01/02/2018-five-great-reads-on-corruption/

 

Leonardo DiCaprio testifies in secret US probe into Malaysian corruption.  Mr DiCaprio is not a suspect in the Department of Justice inquiry, but was said to have had “useful insights” into the Malaysian financier Jho Low, alleged to have stolen billions of dollars from “1MDB”.

The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/05/leonardo-dicaprio-testifies-secret-us-probe-malaysian-corruption/