Open Data inventory / Thai politicians policies / Accountability M&E competencies

Open Data Inventory 2018/2019 (Resource).  The Open Data Inventory (ODIN) assesses the coverage and openness of official statistics to help identify gaps, promote open data policies, improve access, and encourage dialogue between national statistical offices (NSOs) and data users.

Open Data Watch: http://odin.opendatawatch.com/Report/annualReport

 

How politicians think they can fight corruption.  Thai politicians competing in the March-24 general election agree that corruption is a scourge that is undermining the Thai society and dealing with it will be one of their priorities if they come to power after the poll.

Thai PBS World:https://www.thaipbsworld.com/how-politicians-think-they-can-fight-corruption/

 

Three core competencies essential for M&E practitioners in the accountability field (Blog).  “…I was struck by the overwhelming need for not only practical MEL skills but the range of capacities required to address the multi-level challenges they face. What emerged for me is that there are at least three core competencies or capacities that M&E practitioners in the accountability sector require to be effective in the work they do.”

Vanessa Malila/Transparency and Accountability Initiative: https://www.transparency-initiative.org/uncategorized/4605/three-core-competencies-essential-for-me-practitioners-in-the-accountability-field/

Bangladesh civil aviation / Indonesia freezes account / Malaysia SOE ex-GM

Graft plagues civil aviation.  Biman Bangladesh airlines high-ups, including some of its board members, have been misappropriating huge money through irregularities in tender process. On the other hand, some officials of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh accept bribes from contractors, who are “looting money” by building poor-quality towers and boarding bridges, the Anti-Corruption Commission has found.

The Daily Star: https://www.thedailystar.net/frontpage/news/graft-wrecks-civil-aviation-1710175

 

KPK freezes company's bank account in Bakamla graft case.  The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has reportedly frozen the bank account, which contains Rp 60 billion (US$4.25 million), of PT Merial Esa (ME), a company named a graft suspect by the antigraft body in a procurement of sea surveillance satellite systems at the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla).

The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/03/04/kpk-freezes-companys-bank-account-in-bakamla-graft-case.html

 

Court upholds sentence of ex-GM of TNB subsidiary for graft.  Malaysia’s High Court has upheld the six-year jail term and RM5.4mil fine imposed on a former general manager of a subsidiary of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) for accepting bribes in exchange for giving discount on unprocessed copper five years ago.

The Star: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/03/04/court-upholds-sentence-of-ex-gm-of-tnb-subsidiary-for-graft/

Rule of Law index / Japan cryptocurrency laundering / Myanmar's controversial partner

World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2019 (Resource).  The second largest decline over last year was seen in the area of “Criminal Justice,” followed by “Open Government” and “Fundamental Rights." On a positive note, more countries improved in “Absence of Corruption” than declined for the second year in a row.

World Justice Project: https://worldjusticeproject.org/our-work/research-and-data/wjp-rule-law-index-2019

 

Cases of money laundering linked to cryptocurrency in Japan up tenfold in 2018.  According to the National Police Agency, over 7,000 cases of suspected money laundering linked to cryptocurrencies were reported to police in 2018, more than a tenfold jump from the 669 cases reported in a shorter period between April and December in 2017, when it became mandatory for cryptocurrency exchange operators to report transactions suspected to be linked to the movement of illegally obtained cash.

The Japan Times: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/02/28/national/crime-legal/cases-money-laundering-linked-cryptocurrency-japan-tenfold-2018/#.XHzlzYgzaUk

 

Chinese Firm Involved in New Yangon City Has Long List of Controversies Abroad (Analysis).  China Communications Construction Co., Ltd., Chinese state-owned company, which has signed a framework agreement with the Yangon government to draw up a proposal for the infrastructure projects of the New Yangon City project across the Yangon River expected to be twice the size of Singapore, has been embroiled in a number of controversies for its involvement in alleged fraud, corruption and bribery in many other countries where it implemented similar development projects.

Nan Lwin/The Irrawaddy: https://www.irrawaddy.com/opinion/analysis/chinese-firm-involved-new-yangon-city-long-list-controversies-abroad.html

Philippines governor case / China reporting tool / Myanmar ex-FDA director

Sandiganbayan junks Palawan governor's bid for reinvestigation of graft case.  The anti-graft court Sandiganbayan denied Palawan Governor Jose Alvarez's bid to have his graft case, stemming from alleged anomalies in a water supply project approved in 2014, be returned to the Office of the Ombudsman for a new investigation, saying there were no new evidence presented.

Rappler: https://www.rappler.com/nation/224829-sandiganbayan-junks-palawan-governor-jose-alvarez-bid-reinvestigation-graft-case

 

China’s corruption watchdog probes officials’ personal details.  In the past two years, false declarations on the 16-page “Leading Cadres’ Personal Matters Report Form” have led to the downfall of a number of high-ranking officials at the hands of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) watchdog authorized to conduct random checks on the forms.

William Zheng/South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2188227/chinas-corruption-watchdog-probes-officials-personal-details

 

Mandalay Court Charges Ex-FDA Director With Graft.  A Mandalay Region court charged U Than Htut, the former director-general of the Health and Sports Ministry’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with bribery after hearing from more than 30 prosecution witnesses since May.

De Hlaing Winn/The Irrawaddy:https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/burma/mandalay-court-charges-ex-fda-director-graft.html

Sri Lanka asset declarations / Malaysia construction claims / Viet Nam instructive experience

In a historic first 5 Sri Lankan lawmakers voluntarily declare assets aiming to fight corruption.  Five Sri Lankan legislators voluntarily came forward and published their Declarations of Assets and Liabilities at an event organized by the Transparency International Sri Lanka, first such move in the country, aiming to fight against corruption.

Colombo Page: http://www.colombopage.com/archive_19A/Feb28_1551340516CH.php

 

Corruption claims ‘ridiculous lies’, says Guan Eng.  Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had also called the allegations on the blog published Raja Petra Kamaruddin a lie, citing that it is public knowledge the tunnel and roads project in Penang were conducted through open tender, while the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had lodged a police report against the blogger.

Pradeep Nambiar/Free Malaysia Today: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2019/03/03/corruption-claims-ridiculous-lies-says-guan-eng/

 

North Korea can learn from Vietnam’s achievements and its mistakes (Analysis).  “Early action to protect the environment and to contain corruption can be more effective than addressing these issues at a later stage of the reform process.”

Raymond Mallon/VN Express: https://e.vnexpress.net/news/trump-kim-summit-vietnam/north-korea-can-learn-from-vietnam-s-achievements-and-its-mistakes-3887409.html

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (2 March 2019): PNG, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands

PNG:

Corruption Biggest Threat to Skills Training.  A skills trainer has singled out corruption as the biggest threat affecting proper and quality training of artisans, trades persons and all manual workers for Papua New Guinea’s workforce.

https://postcourier.com.pg/corruption-biggest-threat-skills-training/

 

FIJI:

Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption Granted Time in Shameem Khan Case.  He is charged with one count of abuse of office and one count of general dishonesty causing a loss and appeared before Magistrate Deepika Prakash.

https://fijisun.com.fj/2019/02/14/fiji-independent-commission-against-corruption-granted-time-in-shameem-khan-case/

 

TONGA:

Tonga ombudsman investigating public enterprises. Tonga's ombudsman has announced an inquiry into allegations of poor administration by the boards of public enterprises.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/383536/tonga-ombudsman-investigating-public-enterprises

 

COOK ISLANDS:

Cooks' Hagai appointment awaiting police investigation outcome. The Cook Islands deputy prime minister Mark Brown says Toka Hagai will not be appointed to a ministerial post until he is cleared by the police.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/383423/cooks-hagai-appointment-awaiting-police-investigation-outcome

 

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

Philippines corruption unrest / Multinationals compliance difficulty / Viet Nam's regulatory environment

Ex-rebels now governing Philippines' volatile Bangsamoro region vow 'new jihad' on corruption.  "Our enemy during this struggle is not the soldiers. Our enemy is not the government," Murad Ebrahim said in a speech after taking leadership of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority as interim chief minister. He said he and his men would wage a new jihad, or holy war, against corruption and mismanagement.

South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2187852/ex-rebels-now-governing-philippines-volatile-bangsamoro

 

Tackling local compliance in an increasingly globalised world.  Participants in a recent survey, with almost 40% of senior legal and compliance professionals polled across the Asia‑Pacific region (APAC), cited changing local and global regulatory requirements as major challenges confronting their organisations.

Leon Mao/Risk.net: https://www.risk.net/regulation/6409476/tackling-local-compliance-in-an-increasingly-globalised-world

 

Accelerating Vietnam's path to prosperity (Blog).  "Private investors are challenged by complicated legal and regulatory environments and rigid risk sharing arrangements between public and private sector. A more open and clear investment environment would help expand Vietnam's infrastructure portfolio, and much is being done."

Makhtar Diop/World Bank: https://blogs.worldbank.org/voices/accelerating-vietnams-path-prosperity?cid=ECR_E_NewsletterWeekly_EN_EXT&deliveryName=DM9613