1MDB history syllabus / Alibaba chief case / Mongolia PM stays

1MDB to be included in schools' history syllabus: Malaysia's Education Minister.  “"I will make sure that 1MDB and how some leaders robbed the nation will be included in the history books so that future generations will not make the same mistake," said Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik.

The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/1mdb-to-be-included-in-schools-history-syllabus-malaysias-education-minister

 

Chief at Alibaba video site Youku steps down amid corruption probe.  The president of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s video streaming service, Youku, has abruptly stepped down amid a wider Alibaba executives reshuffle, and is believed to be talking to Chinese authorities as part of a potential corruption case, the company said.

Cate Cadell/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-sandberg/facebook-board-backs-sandbergs-request-to-initiate-research-into-soros-idUSKBN1O42LB

 

Mongolia’s PM has kept his job, but the country is reeling from fraud and political turmoil.  Prime Minister Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh survived a vote of no confidence following a scandal involving parliamentarians, cabinet members, and other high-ranking officials who channelled more than US$1 million in government funds to their family and friends – but now the PM must juggle party and opposition interests to retain power and fulfil new promises to fight corruption.

Aubrey Menarndt and Boldsaikhan Sambuu/South China Morning Post:https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/2176588/mongolias-pm-has-kept-his-job-country-reeling-fraud-and-political

Governance for sustainability / Malaysia cashless society / Bangladesh opposition disqualified

Good governance is the key to sustainability (Opinion).  “Investors, whether purchasers of equity or lenders, will not invest in a market or a company they view as unstable, corrupt, or utterly lacking basic protections for their investment and contractual rights.”

Dinesh Weerakkody/Daily FT: http://www.ft.lk/dinesh-weerakkody/Good-governance-is-the-key-to-sustainability/5-667848

 

Dr M: Cashless society can cut down corruption.  "Cash can be used to bribe. In a cashless society, we can record the transactions and we will know those who give and those who receive bribes," says Dr Mahathir at the launching of an unlimited travel pass using MyKad for public rail and bus users, an initiative by the Transport Ministry.

Zakiah Koya/The Star: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/01/dr-m-cashless-society-can-cut-down-corruption/

 

Ex-Bangladesh PM barred from contesting this month's election.  Bangladesh's former prime minister and jailed opposition leader Khaleda Zia has been declared ineligible to contest this month's national elections over two graft convictions, authorities said.

Aljazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/12/bangladesh-pm-khaleda-zia-ineligible-contest-elections-181202155221948.html

Public service "user-fee" / 1MDB US official / Indian utility company

Myanmar Should Adopt Formal User Fees To Displace Petty Bribery (Blog).  “In short, the proposal is to formalize some of the currently unregulated payments for government services, through the imposition of pre-identified and pre-determined “user fees,” coupled with special provisions to ensure access for the very poorest.”

Heesu Chung/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2018/11/30/myanmar-should-adopt-formal-user-fees-to-displace-petty-bribery/

 

Ex-US justice official pleads guilty in 1MDB lobbying scandal.  George Higginbotham, 46, a former US Department of Justice official has pleaded guilty to banking violations as part of an attempt to lobby Washington to drop an investigation into a money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered billions from Malaysia's 1MDB investment fund.

Aljazeera: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/12/justice-official-pleads-guilty-1mdb-lobbying-scandal-181201060555943.html

 

HESCO XEN, three line officials booked for corruption.  As rampant power theft in the jurisdiction of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) in connivance with the company’s staff continues, in a rare action, HESCO has booked its own executive engineer and three staff members in separate First Information Reports.

Z Ali/The Express Tribune: https://tribune.com.pk/story/1858427/1-hesco-xen-three-line-officials-booked-corruption/

Sri Lanka land corruption / Chinese ex-Interpol chief / 1MDB journalist interview

Fighting land corruption in Sri lanka (Blog).  “The legal element has tended to be missing from social accountability projects, but by bridging social mobilisation, legal advice and the political process, TI Sri Lanka is working towards a future where people like Sivarasa are given access to their rights, and their land.”

Transparency International: https://voices.transparency.org/fighting-land-corruption-in-sri-lanka-871a54709a2b

 

Ex-Interpol chief facing corruption charges is expelled from Chinese government advisory body.  Meng Hongwei’s membership was revoked by The National Committee for the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) which consists of 2,000 delegates including celebrities and big corporate chiefs.

South China Morning Post: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/2175792/ex-interpol-chief-facing-corruption-charges-expelled-chinese

 

'It's About Right and Wrong.' In Conversation With the Journalist Who Exposed the World's Biggest Corruption Scandal.  “I very rapidly realized that I had gone from a grassroots cause [environmental degradation in Sarawak] to possibly the most pressing and dangerous global issue of our times, which is capitalism gone absolutely rampant.”

Suyin Haynes/TIME: http://time.com/5463070/malaysia-1mdb-clare-rewcastle-brown-sarawak-report-interview/

Pacific Anti-Corruption Updates (1 December 2018): PNG, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Fiji

Nauru, PNG, Fiji criticised for obstructing freedom. Civic freedoms in three Pacific nations are under threat, according to the international watchdog group, Civicus.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/376935/nauru-png-fiji-criticised-for-obstructing-freedom

 

PAPUA NEW GUINEA:

PNG PM told to stand down over corruption allegations. Papua New Guinea's prime minister, Peter O'Neill, has been called upon to stand down and allow an inquiry into allegations of personal and corporate impropriety.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/376940/png-pm-told-to-stand-down-over-corruption-allegations

PNG fraud squad begins Bougainville investigations. The police team was invited by the Bougainville President John Momis after revelations of a massive fraud involving the autonomous government's payroll, along with the misappropriation of millions of kina of disaster funds.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/376900/png-fraud-squad-begins-bougainville-investigations

 

SOLOMON ISLANDS:

Journos told: Do more probing stories. Local journalists attending a week-long Anti-Corruption Reporting, Promotion of Integrity, Transparency and Accountability training in Honiara were being told to write more investigative stories.

http://www.solomonstarnews.com/index.php/news/national/item/21134-journos-told-do-more-probing-stories

Corruption investigations on public officials continues. Investigations are continuing into the ten highly ranked public officials who are under police radar for corruption allegations.

http://www.sibconline.com.sb/corruption-investigations-on-public-officials-continues/

High profile corruption convict refused bail in Solomon Islands. He was convicted on three counts of official corruption earlier this month and given a two year jail sentence.

https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/376652/high-profile-corruption-convict-refused-bail-in-solomon-islands

Dausabea urges Police to probe corruption. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indigenous Chamber of Commerce and Trade Solomon Islands (ICCTSI) Charles Dausabea is urging police to investigate corruption allegations rather than waiting for someone to lodged a complaint.

http://www.solomonstarnews.com/index.php/news/national/item/21140-dausabea-urges-police-to-probe-corruption

$1m mysterious payment. The one million ($1m) in shipping grant that was supposed to be received by Didao Development Cooperation remains a mystery and untraceable since documents related to the payment were missing from the Ministry of Finance.

http://www.solomonstarnews.com/index.php/news/national/item/21145-1m-mysterious-payment

 

SAMOA:

Minister disappointed at spike in misuse cases. Minister of Finance Sili Epa Tuioti says he is “extremely disappointed” with the increasing number of public funds misuse cases within Government ministries.

http://sobserver.ws/en/26_11_2018/local/38830/Minister-disappointed-at-spike-in-misuse-cases.htm

 

FIJI:

High Court discharges case against Chand. The case against the former vice-chancellor of the Fiji National University (FNU) was today discharged by the High Court in Suva.

https://www.fijitimes.com/high-court-discharges-case-against-chand/

Asia procurement reform / Indonesia election platform / Nissan governance lesson

Asia rising: the next frontier for open contracting (Blog).  “Big things are happening to open up public contracting in Asia and the Pacific. Here’s a quick regional tour, hot off the heels of the recent Open Government Partnership regional meeting in Seoul this month.”

Open Contracting Partnership, UNDP and Hivos: https://www.open-contracting.org/2018/11/26/asia-rising-the-next-frontier-for-open-contracting/

 

Indonesian election: with nod to Malaysia’s 1MDB, Prabowo makes corruption pledge.  Indonesian presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto is confident he can bring about the change that citizens desire and run a clean government that will still be business-friendly while improving the lives of ordinary people.

Kok Xing Hui/The Star Online: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/regional/2018/11/29/indonesian-election-with-nod-to-malaysias-1mdb-prabowo-makes-corruption-pledge/

 

The Ghosn Effect on Corporate Governance.  “Another “Ghosn lesson” is to confirm the vitality of the organization’s internal whistleblower mechanism, for it was an internal complaint that prompted the Nissan board’s investigation.”

Michael Peregrine/Forbes:https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelperegrine/2018/11/27/the-ghosn-effect-on-corporate-governance/#42d29bcc70ce

Singapore allegations censored / Hong Kong foreign bribery / Philippines budget scrutiny

Singapore probes website which exposed top-level government corruption.  TheOnline Citizen (TOC), a Singapore political website which carries news articles and comments critical of the government, has suspended publication after police it is being investigated for possible “criminal defamation” over an article alleging corruption among the city-state’s top leaders.

AFP/Politiko: http://politics.com.ph/singapore-probes-website-which-exposed-top-level-government-corruption/

 

Ex-Hong Kong minister Patrick Ho’s US$2.9 million corruption trial opens, as defence calls it a ‘bribery case with no bribes’.  “In addition to arguing that the sums Ho had given to various African officials on behalf of a Chinese energy giant were donations rather than bribes, the defence said that key prosecution witness Cheikh Gadio was testifying against Ho because he planned to run for president in Senegal.”

Emma Kazaryan/Yahoo News: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/ex-hong-kong-minister-patrick-005038766.html

 

Pangilinan warns to defer approval of NFA budget due to ‘corruption’.  PhilippinesSenator Francis Pangilinan warned that they would seek the deferment of the approval of P7-billion (approx. 133 mil USD) budget of the National Food Authority if it fails to submit a report on corruption that had hounded the agency.

Macon Ramos-Araneta/Manila Standard: http://manilastandard.net/news/national/281501/pangilinan-warns-to-defer-approval-of-nfa-budget-due-to-corruption-.html