AP-INTACT

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Promoting Open Governance in Mongolia’s Changing Political Landscape (commentary) .  "Despite Mongolia’s economic and social successes since its democratic transition in the early 1990s, corruption and bureaucracy have thwarted the country’s development which has as a result been plagued by lack of transparency, accountability, and conflict of interest." Ariunaa Norovsambuu, Gantulga Ganbaatar, and Bayanmunkh Ariunbold/Asia Foundation: http://asiafoundation.org/2016/08/24/promoting-open-governance-mongolias-changing-political-landscape/ Australia 'a soft touch for white collar crime' .  Labor will move to re-establish a Senate inquiry into corporate bribery following the "shocking allegations" of a Fairfax Media/ABC investigation into the practices of two major Australian firms. Michael ...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Vietnam targets families of public officials in anti-corruption drive .  An anti-corruption bill looks to scrutinize the assets of their spouses, minor children. Dien Luong/VN Express: http://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-targets-families-of-public-officials-in-anti-corruption-drive-3456101.html ‘Sexual favours’ to be deemed bribe under proposed law .  Seeking “sexual favour” can be considered as bribe and people can be penalised for it under a new law proposed by a Parliamentary Committee. Hindustan Times: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/proposal-says-sexual-favours-to-be-considered-as-bribe-under-anti-corruption-law/story-LxyK1HFkk0H7sueipeY6IM.html Cambodia deploys police as part of exam cheat crackdown .  Cambodia deployed 1,570 police at high-school exam test sites across the country...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Government Public Performance Reporting - Is It Worth the Effort? (publication)    Public accountability demands that performance data be publicly available but who actually uses the vast amount of information that is produced and does it really improve the lives of citizens by enhancing government performance? Jeff Tryens/Asian Development Bank: http://www.adb.org/publications/government-public-performance-reporting-it-worth-effort?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alerts Watch Your Language: Not “Everyone” Is Corrupt–Anywhere (commentary) .  "I’ve noticed something about the way many people (including me) sometimes describe the severity of the corruption problem in many parts of the world: When calling attention to the problem of widespread, systemic corruption, it’s not uncommo...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) From the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with support from the Australian Government. Updates shared by Mihaela Stojkoska, Luisa Senibulu, and Samita Singh. If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. FIJI: Freedom of Information Bill under the spotlight .  Several concerns have been raised by Fiji political parties and some non-governmental organisations in their submissions on the Freedom of Information Bill. http://fijione.tv/freedom-of-information-bill-under-the-spotlight/ More women participation hoped for in Fiji Parliament .  Hopes are high that there will be more women participation in Fijian Parliament. http://fijione.tv/more-women-participation-hoped-for-in-parliament/ VANUATU: Judiciary remains independen...

World: UNODC, ICSS launch guide for ‘fixing’ investigation Aug 25, 2016 08:00 pm Following on from the partnership signed last year at the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) launched a new resource […] Read More     Australia: Sundance Resources, Snowy Mountain Engineering Co embroiled in bribery scandals in Sri Lanka and Congo Aug 25, 2016 07:30 pm Two Australian companies are being investigated over alleged bribery scandals linked to the presidents of Sri Lanka and the Congo, after the firms sought to secure multi-million-dollar contracts in those countries. A Fairfax Media and 7.30 investigation can reveal Perth’s […] Read More     Malaysia: Lawyer says appointed to act for Najib in Zaid Ibrahim’s 1MDB lawsuit Aug 25, 2016 07:00 pm Lawyer Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun today confirmed that he has been appointed ...

25 August 2016  Today's top story Egypt: Egypt's wheat corruption struggle The minister responsible for food subsidies in Egypt, the world's biggest wheat importer, resigned on Thursday amid a high profile corruption probe. More news Global: Sepp Blatter says he will accept Cas verdict of appeal hearing against ban The Guardian Global: US arrests Colombia’s fugitive former agriculture minister Colombia Reports Australia: Labor to relaunch corporate corruption inquiry into Sundance Resources, Snowy Mountain Engineering Co ABC Online Sierra Leone: ‘There is nothing petty about petty corruption’ – says Sierra...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. UNODC and International Centre for Sport Security launch comprehensive Resource Guide on Good Practices in the Investigation of Match-Fixing .  Following on from the partnership signed last year at the 13th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, UNODC and International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) unveiled a new resource guide that will help law enforcement and sports organisations better detect and investigate match-fixing and cases of sports-results manipulation. UNODC: http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2016/August/unodc-and-icss-launch-comprehensive-resource-guide-on-good-practices-in-the-investigation-of-match-fixing.html?ref=fs1 The Draft ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Standard’s Promise and Limitations (commentary) .  This past April, the International Organization for St...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. A Tale of Two Regions: Anticorruption Trends in Southeast Asia and Latin America .  "When I consider recent developments in the fight against corruption in Latin American and Southeast Asia, it seems that these two regions are moving in quite different directions." Matthew Stephenson/Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2016/08/09/a-tale-of-two-regions-anticorruption-trends-in-southeast-asia-and-latin-america/ Culture Matters: How Indonesia Should Account Culture to Eradicate Corruption .  "Indonesia’s culture of corruption is a result of the corruption of culture: Far too many people see corruption as unsolvable and even “normal,” even though they clearly realize its wrongfulness." Jessica Vincentia Marpaung/Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblo...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Singapore: No evidence of systemic weakness, fraud or corruption in AGO report .  While instances of inadequate financial controls over Government operations were highlighted in the latest Auditor-General’s report, there is no proof of systemic weaknesses or financial wrongdoings such as fraud or corruption within government agencies, Senior Minister of State for Finance and Law Indranee Rajah said in Parliament on Tuesday (Aug 16). Channel News Asia: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/no-evidence-of-systemic/3047054.html Indonesian anti-corruption agency teams up with stats body to combat corruption .  The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on gathering data, in an effort to detect potential corruption ...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. “Watch the watchdog” (interview).   "Countries that have good governance do not just set up an anti-graft body but also an independent agency to watch the watchdog." Translated excerpts of interview with Stanford University political scientist Larry Diamond in Kantipur, 16 August 2016: http://www.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2016/08/16/watch-the-watchdog/ The U4 Proxy Challenge and the Search for New Corruption Indicators .  To help address this challenge, the U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre announces its second “Proxy Challenge Competition”, which invites researchers and practitioners to submit proposals for indicators that can help show the direction of change and the progress of reform efforts, rather than measuring the quantity or volume of corruption per se. Osmund Grøholt/Global Anticorruption ...

From the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with support from the Australian Government. Updates shared by Mihaela Stojkoska, Luisa Senibulu, and Samita Singh. If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Fiji: Government ministries should be held accountable: UNDP .  Fijian Government ministries should always be held accountable for the funds they use. http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=35942296457acf3eb5f7b037eea72a Financial Intelligence Unit to monitor MPs and state officials’ income .  All Fijian government ministers and parliamentarians income will now be closely monitored by commercial banks next year. http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=187383403957acf6884564e64fc72d PNG: New laws aim to stamp out corruption .  PNG's government has made amendment...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. In numbers: Impact of corruption on the Philippines .  Sums lost to corruption could have been used for education, health, or infrastructure. Aika Rey/Rappler: http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/corruption/141391-impact-corruption-philippines Massive open online course on extractives governance . The Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment, the Natural Resource Governance Institute, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), with support from the World Bank, will launch the 2nd edition of the free massive open online course (MOOC) "Natural Resources for Sustainable Development: The Fundamentals of Oil, Gas and Mining Governance" on 12 September 2016 (12-week course). Register for the course here (you will be redirected to the SDSN Education Platform): https://www.sdsnedu...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Corruption and the Death Penalty in China (op-ed).   A lot of attention has been paid to Chinese President Xi’s resolution to eliminate the persistent corruption problem that plagues the CCP but much less noticed are recent changes to laws regarding corruption, in particular the application of the death penalty in corruption cases. Bin Liang, Professor of Sociology at Oklahoma State University/The Newslens: http://international.thenewslens.com/article/45431 Anti-corruption campaign has caused Chinese slowdown, says former central banker .   A former policy-maker at People’s Bank of China has attributed the country’s anti-graft drive as the main factor behind the recent economic deceleration. Jonathan Webb/Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jwebb/2016/07/28/anti-corruption-campaign-has-caused-chinese-...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Will compulsory disclosure of assets tackle corruption? (op-ed)   The arguments against making public servants disclose their assets range from inefficacy to an invasion of privacy. Anuradha Raman and G. Sampath/The Hindu: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/will-compulsory-disclosure-of-assets-tackle-corruption/article8912517.ece Corruption, not terrorism, is the biggest threat to investors in Asia (op-ed).   "Instead of being distracted by fears of kidnapping and suicide bomb attacks, investors [in Asia] should focus on establishing proper due diligence programs in managing their projects to tackle corruption or search for new business opportunities." Nicholas Borroz/Nikkei Asian Review: http://asia.nikkei.com/Viewpoints/Viewpoints/Nicholas-Borroz-Corruption-not-terrorism-is-the-biggest-threat-to-inve...

From the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, with support from the Australian Government. Updates shared by Mihaela Stojkoska, Luisa Senibulu, and Samita Singh. If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. New phase of Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption Project launched .  The second phase of the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) was launched in Suva. http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=98039252057abd9e40023750ffea31 PNG: Fight against corruption high on PNG agenda .  When the Papua New Guinea parliament resumes, the fight against corruption is expected to be high on the agenda. http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/310519/fight-against-corruption-high-on-png-agenda Fiji: Information Bill should be withdrawn: FLP Leader .  The Fiji Lab...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. The Right Amount of Legislative Immunity. (op-ed)   "There is a reason most democracies have some form of legislative immunity: not because individual legislators should be shielded from prosecution, but because the legislature as an institution should be protected from intrusion and second-guessing by prosecutors and the judiciary." Courtney Millian/Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2016/07/25/the-right-amount-of-legislative-immunity/ Hong Kong: Money Laundering Does Not Require Actual Knowledge .  The recent judgment of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in HKSAR v Yeung Ka Sing Carson1 has confirmed, among other things, that on a charge of dealing with proceeds of crime contrary to s 25 (1) of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance, the prosecution only needs to show...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Anti-corruption NGO advocates for Whistleblower Protection Law in Afghanistan .  Integrity Watch Afghanistan wants a more comprehensive and inclusive whistleblower protection law, already tabled by the Afghan Parliament, that will not be limited to corruption but be more effective in tackling corruption, crimes and wrongdoings, and in maintaining the rule of law in the country. Integrity Watch Afghanistan: http://iwaweb.org/integrity-watch-afghanistan-advocates-for-whistle-blower-protection-law/ New Singapore units launched to combat illicit activities .  Two new departments at the Monetary Authority of Singapore to combat money laundering and terrorism financing started work yesterday. Wong Wei Han/The Straits Times: http://www.straitstimes.co...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. Make Malaysian anti-graft body truly independent, says think-tank .  The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairsproposes that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission be raised to a constitutionally mandated Independent Anti-Corruption Commission with security of tenure for its 15 commissioners. Free Malaysia Today: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/08/06/make-macc-fully-independent-says-tricia/ Survey finds lower conviction rate in Bangladesh grafts .  Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission is perceived as a tool of political harassment, according to a study conducted by a non-governmental graft watchdog. newsnextbd: http://newsnextbd.com/?p=535 14th Postgraduate Certificate in Corruption Studies ...

[Facilitator’s note: Thank you to Tony Kwok, Adjunct Professor & Hon Course Director, Hong Kong University School of Professional and Continuing Education, for sharing this information.] The 14th Postgraduate Certificate in Corruption Studies will be held in Hong Kong from 15 November – 8 December 2016 and it is now inviting applications from overseas anti-corruption or related organizations in both public and private sectors. This Postgraduate Certificate in Corruption Studies programme has been established as one of the leading training courses in anti-corruption studies in the world. Based on the successful model of fighting against corruption in Hong Kong, this programme is designed to cover both the theoretical and practical aspects of anti-corruption. There have been a growing number of overseas participants joining this course since its first launch in 2003. Over the years, a total of 325 Postgraduate Certificate awards have gone to the dele...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. (op-ed) Please don’t walk away, Rebecca Li – Hong Kong needs to maintain confidence in the ICAC .  Allegations of political interference at the Independent Commission Against Corruption are unfounded, and former top graft investigator Rebecca Li should reconsider her decision to resign, says the writer, a former deputy commissioner of the ICAC. Tony Kwok/South China Morning Post: http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1996075/please-dont-walk-away-rebecca-li-hong-kong-needs-maintain Thank you to Tony Kwok, former deputy commissioner of the ICAC and currently an adjunct professor of HKU SPACE and an international anti-corruption consultant, for allowing AP-INTACT to share his commentary. UN report says India profiting from ‘trade misinvoicing’.   A new UN report lists China, Germany, India, It...

WSJ - Corruption Currents: World Vision Worker Accused of Funding Hamas - 4 August 2016. By Ben DiPietro. http://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2016/08/04/corruption-currents-world-vision-worker-accused-of-funding-hamas/

5 August 2016 Today's top story Brazil: Brazil senate panel recommends impeaching, removing Rousseff The Wall Street Journal A Senate committee voted 14-5 on Thursday to recommend a conviction in suspended President Dilma Rousseff’s impeachment trial and that she then be permanently ousted. More news Brazil: Brazil Eletronuclear CEO gets 43-year sentence for corruption -paper Reuters China: Two more of...