Philippines corruption rising / Silence around sextortion / Malaysia MACC chief

Bribery, corruption on the rise in PH – report.  “Bribery and corruption in the Philippines have spiked in the last two years, with a fifth of businesses saying they were made to pay grease money, a global survey [by PricewaterhouseCoopers] disclosed.”

Melissa Luz Lopez/CNN Philippines: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/3/3/Bribery-corruption-fraud-PwC.html   

 

The deafening silence around sextortion.  “To enable adequate prosecution of sextortion and get justice for those affected, all governments should develop a legal definition and framework for sextortion.  Existing legal frameworks have too many gaps and leave some forms of sexual extortion unaddressed.”

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/the_deafening_silence_around_sextortion

 

Malaysia's anti-corruption chief who investigated 1MDB resigns.  “Latheefa Koya of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said there was no pressure on her to resign and that new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is backed by UMNO…”

Aljazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/ajimpact/malaysia-anti-corruption-chief-investigated-1mdb-resigns-200306021953213.html

Malaysia PM priorities / India anti-corruption campaign / International Anti-corruption Court

Malaysia's new PM says will prioritize stamping out corruption, abuse of power.  ‘“The government under my leadership will prioritize efforts to increase the integrity and good practices by government. This includes efforts to stamp out corruption and abuse of power and improving enforcement and the relevant laws, regulations and practices,” Muhyiddin said in his first speech since being sworn in as premier’

Joseph Sipalan/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics-muhyiddin/malaysias-new-pm-says-will-prioritize-stamping-out-corruption-abuse-of-power-idUSKBN20P1Z1

 

India Failing To Make Progress In Its Campaign Against Corruption (Opinion).  “India’s enormous economic promise makes it virtually impossible to ignore. But companies conducting business there need not look any further than the latest [Corruption Perception Index] to recognize the formidable risks India poses to their operations.”

Ronak D. Desai/Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronakdesai/2020/03/03/india-failing-to-make-progress-in-its-campaign-against-corruption/

 

U4 Brief on “An International Anti-Corruption Court? A Synopsis of the Debate” (Blog/Resource).  “this U4 Brief is meant to provide some general background information and a succinct summary of (1) the strongest arguments in favor of creating an IACC, (2) the strongest criticisms of the IACC proposal, and (3) an overview of some other approaches to the grand corruption and impunity problems.”

Matthew Stephenson/The Global Anticorruption Blog:  https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2020/02/27/u4-brief-on-an-international-anti-corruption-court-a-synopsis-of-the-debate/ 

Financial declaration systems / Cambodia construction permit / Malaysia scandal trials

Are Financial Declaration Systems Creating Opportunities for Corrupt Extortion? (Blog).  “There are important ongoing debates about the appropriate design of financial disclosure systems, including questions about whether the disclosures should be public or kept confidential, who should be required to submit disclosures (and how often), what sort of information should be required (and at what level of detail), whether and how declarations should be independently verified, the appropriate institution to manage the system, and the appropriate penalties for noncompliance”

Matthew Stephenson/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2020/03/03/are-financial-declaration-systems-creating-opportunities-for-corrupt-extortion/

 

Phnom Penh Court finds provincial officials guilty of corruption. “the convicts were arrested…by the Anti-Corruption Unit during a sting operation at a restaurant in Pursat after being handed $50,000 from an unnamed local factory owner for a construction permit.”

Buth Reaksmey Kongkea/Khmer Times: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50696932/phnom-penh-court-finds-provincial-officials-guilty-of-corruption

 

Questions emerge over trials in 1MDB scandal. “With the return of Mr Najib's party to power after a week of political turmoil, and therefore being in a position to influence policy, some Malaysians were questioning whether it will affect the handling of the high profile trials.”

Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/1870659/questions-emerge-over-trials-in-1mdb-scandal

Corruption victims reparations / Myanmar EITI compliance / Corporate governance bar

Reparations for Corruption: How Corruption Enforcement Ignores Victims’ Rights.  “...Airbus, a European aircraft maker, announced a USD 4 billion settlement with US, UK, and France authorities…Regretfully, as we see all too often, these settlements will not include reparations to the people or communities affected by the bribery and corruption. Despite early and persistent requests, these victims were left out of the bargain.

Juanita Olaya Garcia/Tufts University: https://sites.tufts.edu/ihs/reparations-for-corruption-how-corruption-enforcement-ignores-victims-rights/

 

Myanmar govt faces setbacks in enforcing compliance with EITI database.  The government says it lacks the mechanisms to force companies to disclose ownership information through a public registry, which are part of recent measures to clean up corruption in the extractive industry.

John Liu and Thompson Chau/Myanmar Times: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-govt-faces-setbacks-enforcing-compliance-eiti-database.html

 

Corporate governance bar must be raised (Opinion).  “Voluntary adoption of ethical and transparent business practices alongside a lighter regulatory environment, are called for”

Chandrajit Banerjee/Business Line: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/corporate-governance-bar-must-be-raised/article30935067.ece?utm_source=taboola

Thailand military reform / DPRK officials sacked / Pakistan failed accountability

Thai PM to reform military to curb corruption.  “Thailand’s military is being reformed to reduce corruption among military commanders, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said… The issue of high-ranking commanders ordering soldiers to serve them by running their errands was mentioned by the PM, who said that there would be punishment for such behaviour.”

The Star: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2020/02/28/thai-pm-to-reform-military-to-curb-corruption   

 

Kim Jong Un sacks top officials for “corruption” in meeting on coronavirus.  “North Korean leader Kim Jong Un led an enlarged Political Bureau meeting primarily on the country’s coronavirus prevention efforts, where he dismissed two top officials for what appear to be related “corrupt” acts, the Party daily Rodong Sinmun and Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported”

Colin Zwirko/NK News: https://www.nknews.org/2020/02/kim-jong-un-sacks-top-officials-for-corruption-in-meeting-on-coronavirus/  

 

Failed accountability? (Opinion).  “Having failed to deliver on the economic and governance fronts, the anti-corruption tirade was the only thing left for the ruling party to keep its support base satisfied. Slowly but surely, that anti-corruption campaign seems to be fizzling out as one political leader after another is set free by the courts for lack of credible evidence”

Mohammad Zubair/The News: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/622313-failed-accountability    

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (29 February 2020): PNG, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands

PNG:

PNG Parliament adjourns with govt urging O'Neill to move. Minister for Justice and Attorney-General Davis Steven thanked MPs for voting unanimously for the Whistleblowers Act, which provides protection for those who report on corruption.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/410419/png-parliament-adjourns-with-govt-urging-o-neill-to-move  

 

FIJI:

Former Fiji Commerce Commission CEO’s no case to answer matter today Former CEO Bobby.Maharaj is charged with one count of Abuse of Office.

https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/court/former-fiji-commerce-commission-ceos-no-case-to-answer-matter-today/

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

USD $100 Billion loan – new twist. The leader of Opposition Hon. Matthew Wale has expressed great shock at the report in Solomon Star on Tuesday 25th February 2020 of new information coming out from inside sources within the Prime Minister’s Office that the USD11 Bn commission from the proposed USD100 Bn loan includes payments to senior MPs within Sogavare’s government.

http://www.solomonstarnews.com/index.php/news/national/item/22843-usd-100-billion-loan-new-twist

 

COOK ISLANDS

‘No professional misconduct’.  The Cook Islands Law Society filed a complaint with the High Court, saying he was guilty of professional misconduct and bringing the profession into disrepute.

http://cookislandsnews.com/national/local/item/76026-no-professional-misconduct

 

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

 

Philippines government contract / Thailand censure debate / Singapore bank manager

Can you spot red flags in government contracts? (Blog).  “At a recent investigative journalism conference called Muckraking for the Public Good, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) senior reporter Karol Ilagan talked about the red flags to watch out for when investigating public contracts.”

Adelle Chua/Hivos:https://sea.hivos.org/story/can-you-spot-red-flags-in-government-contracts/

 

Thailand holds first censure debate in 7 years.  “The debate…will focus on controversial issues. It will go as far back as the coup and corruption allegations made against the military regime, which was in power until the middle of last year.”

Hathai Techakitteranun/The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/thailand-holds-first-censure-debate-in-7-years    

 

Ex-company co-director and former bank telecom and network manager fined $30,000 each for graft.  “A telecom and network manager at ABN Amro Bank (Singapore) accepted $17,500 in bribes from a director of one of its vendors as a reward for advancing the business interest of the latter's firm with the financial institution.”

Shaffiq Alkhatib/The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/ex-company-co-director-and-former-bank-telecom-and-network-manager-fined-30k