Indonesia popular documentary / Malaysia on beneficial ownership / Myanmar speech at UNGASS

The EndGame film about the weakening of the KPK draws attention, WatchDoc is flooded with requests for Nobar.  “[The EndGame:] The Final Round Against Corruption, a documentary by Watchdoc Documentary Maker, has captured the public's attention…The EndGame film premiered on Saturday (5/5) last weekend. Watchdoc Documentary Maker shows the film for free and is open to all levels of society, through the nobar system.”

Reza Gunadha/Suara: https://www.suara.com/news/2021/06/07/193351/film-the-endgame-soal-pelemahan-kpk-sedot-perhatian-watchdoc-kebanjiran-permintaan-nobar  

 

Don't let the corrupt hide behind shell companies, UN members urged.  “In her first address to the UN General Assembly, Center to Combat Corruption and Corruption (C4) executive director Cynthia Gabriel [from Malaysia] called upon its member states to develop solutions to further strengthen the international anti-corruption framework…Gabriel urged them to introduce public registries of beneficial company owners…”

Malaysiakini: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/577731     

 

Myanmar’s UN envoy tells General Assembly about corruption in Myanmar.  “Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar gave a speech to the United Nations in New York at the Special Session of the UN General Assembly Plenary on Challenges and Measures to Prevent and Combat Corruption and Strengthen International Cooperation this week. Here is the full text of his speech”

Mizzima: https://mizzima.com/article/myanmars-un-envoy-tells-general-assembly-about-corruption-myanmar

UNGASS opportunity for global agenda / Indonesia sacked investigator / Mongolia corruption risk assessment

An important opportunity to shape the global anti-corruption agenda (Blog).  “The UN General Assembly Special Session 2021, and its political declaration will provide the world with an opportunity to unite against corruption and move from commitment to action. UNDP reaffirms its commitment to supporting countries to strengthen transparency, accountability and anti-corruption in all development areas, to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs for people and our planet.”

Sarah Lister and Anga Timilsina/UNDP: https://www.undp.org/blogs/important-opportunity-shape-global-anti-corruption-agenda  

 

Indonesian graft agency could be doomed, says sacked investigator.  “Bespectacled and blinded in one eye after a 2017 acid attack, Indonesia's most well-known anti-corruption investigator, Novel Baswedan, said his sacking last month could sound the death knell for the country's popular anti-graft body (KPK)… He is one of 75 employees dismissed for failing a civil service examination at an agency that has prosecuted hundreds of politicians, officials and businessmen over nearly two decades - and made powerful enemies.”

Stanley Widianto and Kate Lamb/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/indonesian-graft-agency-could-be-doomed-says-sacked-investigator-2021-06-03/    

 

Mongolia: corruption risk assessment in public institution.  “There are approximately 4200 government institutions in Mongolia. Therefore, it is not possible to conduct corruption risk assessment only on the initiative of the IAAC. Furthermore, it is necessary for government institutions to conduct corruption risk assessments on their initiative and take specific steps to improve their operation, in accordance with the framework of anti-corruption prevention.”

Indepdent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia: https://www.iaac.mn/news/mongolia-corruption-risk-assessment-in-public-institution/

New global anti-corruption network / Indonesia KPK weakened / Mongolia investigators workload

UN hails new anti-corruption network, as ‘important step’ to build trust, promote justice.  “With factors contributing to transnational corruption becoming increasingly complex, the UN launched [the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities] to “empower all countries” to find practical solutions and better tools to track, investigate and prosecute the scourge.”

UN News: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/06/1093302  

 

Dismissals following controversial civics test further weaken Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency KPK (Statement).  “The decision to dismiss prominent anti-corruption investigators and commissioners will cast a shadow over the independence of Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission…also known as KPK…Transparency International urges President Joko Widodo to use his executive powers for initiating the reversal of these damaging reforms to ensure KPK’s capacity to perform its important role, in adherence with Indonesia’s international commitments.”

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/press/dismissals-controversial-civics-test-further-weaken-indonesia-anti-corruption-agency-kpk  

 

Mongolia: high workload of investigators negatively affects the fight against corruption.  “The level of corruption in a country is highly dependent on the activities of the Anti-Corruption Authority, which is usually the only entity authorized to detect and investigate corruption crimes. Therefore, it is possible to fight corruption effectively by keeping the workload of the Anti-Corruption Authority’s investigators at a normal level and conducting investigations efficiently.”

Indepdent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia: https://www.iaac.mn/news/mongolia-high-workload-of-investigators-negatively-affects-the-fight-against-corruption/  

UNGASS president statement / G7 ministers UNGASS statement / Pakistan corruption stories

We won’t allow corruption to continue unchecked: UN Assembly president.  “Amidst a complex global vaccine roll-out effort, he urged policymakers to “leverage this special session” to take concrete measures to prevent and address corruption by closing loopholes and putting safeguards in place… The international community must continue adapting to new and emerging challenges, said Mr. Bozkir calling the special session “a key moment to galvanize a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder response” with a significant role for non-governmental organizations, civil society and others.”

UN News: https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/06/1093232  

 

G7 UNGASS Statement.  “We, the G7 Ministers, recognize that corruption is a pressing global challenge…We welcome the adoption of the action-oriented political declaration and commit to achieving its aims. Given our international responsibilities, we as the G7 recognise the need to enhance our efforts to prevent and combat corruption by leading by example.”

Gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/g7-ungass-statement  

 

Govt to disclose corruption stories: Firdous.  “Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has said… [Pakistan’s] government would soon disclose the salient features of the public transport project to the people to highlight its high cost and high recurring expenditures.”

The News: https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/843274-govt-to-disclose-corruption-stories-firdous

Mongolia fines for bribery / Indonesia KPK challenge / COVID vaccine transparency report

The amount of fines for corruption crime and Mongolia's challenges.  “[One] of the most urgent tasks of the Mongolian legislature to effectively combat corruption and ensure social integrity is to set the amount of fines for corruption crime are “tied with” the amount of bribes and size of damages.”

Indepdent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia: https://www.iaac.mn/news/the-amount-of-fines-for-corruption-crime-and-mongolia-s-challenges/   

 

KPK has survived assaults before. This time its luck may have run out.  “With President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo making very little effort to protect the KPK —his instruction to reinstate top investigators at risk of being laid-off has largely been ignored by the KPK leadership—it is likely that the agency will end up being a paper tiger and rendered ineffective. And while past efforts to weaken the KPK have been met with fierce resistance, both from politicians and civil society, today we only hear crickets and it is highly likely that the KPK saga will end not with a bang but with a whimper.”

The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2021/06/01/kpk-has-survived-assaults-before-this-time-its-luck-may-have-run-out.html  

 

For whose benefit? Transparency in the development and procurement of COVID-19 vaccines (Publication).  “This report analyses transparency of two key stages of the vaccine development in chronological order: the development and subsequent buying of vaccines…[It] provides concrete recommendations on how to overcome current opacity in order to contribute to achieving the commitment of world leaders to ensure equal, fair and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries.”

Transparency International: http://ti-health.org/content/for-whose-benefit-transparency-in-the-development-and-procurement-of-covid-19-vaccines/ 

Thailand Toyota bribery case / Myanmar post-coup everyday bribery / Malaysia corruption culture

DOJ Takes Toyota Thai Bribery Probe To Texas Grand Jury.  “The provisions meant to prevent corruption not only seem ineffective, they may be adding layers of red tape. We need measures to prevent graft balanced with the flexibility required for the government to be responsive in a crisis, be it in this pandemic or something else in the future.”

Law360: https://www.law360.com/articles/1388032/doj-takes-toyota-thai-bribery-probe-to-texas-grand-jury   

 

Anxiety, bribes and bullies: A journey through post-coup Myanmar.  “This is not a good time to travel without a Citizenship Scrutiny Card. Those who do are advised to carry extra cash to pay off soldiers and police at checkpoints… and to scrub their phones before their journey.”

Frontier Myanmar: https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/anxiety-bribes-and-bullies-a-journey-through-post-coup-myanmar/  

 

‘Corruption virus’ due to lack of transparency, accountability.  “A lack of transparency and accountability by people in positions of influence and power is like a virus that has infected all facets of Malaysian life… Political scientist Prof Wong Chin Huat said beyond institutional failures, what drives the Malaysian corruption culture is a sense.”

Hakem Hassan/The Sun Daily: https://www.thesundaily.my/local/corruption-virus-due-to-lack-of-transparency-accountability-AY7919741  

Pakistan NAB performance / Mongolia political official criteria / Afghanistan armed forces issue

PM expresses satisfaction over performance of NAB, Punjab Anti-Corruption Department.  “Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed satisfaction over the performance of Punjab Anti-Corruption Department and the National Accountability Bureau in the recovery of plundered amount. In a series of tweets…he said Punjab anti-corruption department has recovered two hundred and twenty billion rupees in the last 31 months of present government.”

Radio Pakistan: http://www.radio.gov.pk/26-05-2021/pm-expresses-satisfaction-over-performance-of-punjab-anti-corruption-department-nab 

 

Mongolia: MP submits draft law to establish criteria for political officials’ appointment.  “One of the criteria states that the political official shall not be linked with corruption or misconduct... Thus, setting criteria for political officials will intensify Mongolia's fight against nepotism and cronyism and can make a valuable contribution to effective anti-corruption activity.”

Indepdent Authority Against Corruption of Mongolia: https://www.iaac.mn/news/mongolia-mp-submits-draft-law-to-establish-criteria-for-political-officials-appointment/

 

Afghan Forces Struggle, Demoralized, Rife With Corruption.  “Within the Afghan army, soldiers complain of substandard equipment, even shoddy basic items like army boots that fall apart within weeks because corrupt contractors used inferior material.”

Kathy Gannon/The Diplomat: https://thediplomat.com/2021/05/afghan-forces-struggle-demoralized-rife-with-corruption/