AP-INTACT

NACC told to hasten cop station probes.  “ The United Lawyers for Rights and Liberty is pressing the Thai National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to speed up probes into irregularities in 396 police station construction projects worth US$205 mil, saying the anti-graft agency would be held to account if they failed to do so.” Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1597902/nacc-told-to-hasten-cop-station-probes   Bank of Inner Mongolia’s Ex-Chairman Convicted on Corruption Charges.  Yang Chenglin, the former chairman of a major joint-stock bank based in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region was handed a suspended death sentence after being convicted of corruption involving over 600 million yuan ($87 million). Zhu Liangtao, Wu Hongyuran and Liu Jiefei/Caixin Global:  https://www.caixinglobal.com/2018-12-24/bank-of-inner-mongolias-ex-chairman-convicted-on-corruption-charges-101362861.html   Former Pakistan P...

Former CWT Logistics employee charged for corruption, cheating involving wife's company.  Teo Cheng Kit, a Singaporean who was a former assistant general manager of CTW Logistics, was charged with corruption and more than 900 counts of cheating after he allegedly deceived his colleagues, leading them to award jobs to his wife's company. Channel NewsAsia: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/former-cwt-logistics-employee-charged-for-corruption-cheating-11052824   Voters demand clear anti-graft policies .  A survey conducted by the University of Thai Chamber of Commerce, Khonthai Foundation and 17 NGOs found that 19% thought economic issues were the most critical followed by education (17%) and corruption (16%).    Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1597894/voters-demand-clear-anti-graft-policies   Corruption Still Rife in Laos Despite Continued Crackdown Efforts.  “Corruption is intensifyi...

Newspaper’s assistant manager jailed 30 months, fined RM100k over bribery.   An assistant manager from an English-language daily newspaper has been slapped with a 30-month jail sentence and a fine of RM100,000 by the sessions court after being found guilty of receiving bribes of RM20,000 (US$4,800) last year. The Star: https://www.thesundaily.my/local/newspaper-s-assistant-manager-jailed-30-months-fined-rm100k-over-bribery-DK279371   ‘Tone from the top’ crucial in anti-corruption: DICA.  According to the director general of the Directorate for Investment and Company Administration (DICA) U Aung Naing Oo, the Commission recognised that corruption was a deterrent to foreign direct investment, and explained that one of the roles of the new Ministry of Investment and Foreign Economic Relations would be to streamline procedures for agencies involved in attracting and overseeing investment, to reduce red tape and opportunities for “tea-mon...

International Anti-Corruption Day 2018 highlights from the Pacific. UN-PRAC worked in partnership with 3 key organizations; namely the Pohnpei Office of the State Public Auditor’s Office in Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji Council of Social Services and Pacific Youth Against Corruption Network in Fiji through the International Anti-Corruption Day Grants to commemorate the International Anti-Corruption Day. Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia: Talent Show Uses Creativity in Fighting Against Corruption The Pohnpei Office of the State Public Auditor organized a talent show for International Anti-Corruption Day. The talent show aimed at using creative, expressive art to speak out against corruption and raise awareness on anti-corruption using songs, music jams, dances, drama, poems, presentations. The talent show was opened to the public to attend.   Live out Loud Artivism Competition Inspires Youths to Fight Against Corruption.  Pacific Youth Agains...

Anti-Corruption Commission to Open Branches in Yangon, Mandalay Next Year.   Replying to a lawmaker’s request for updates on the opening of branch offices, U San Win told lawmakers the agency plans to open offices in states and divisions each year depending on the available budget, in addition to its only one office in Naypyitaw at the moment. San Yamin Aung/The Irrawaddy: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/anti-corruption-commission-open-branches-yangon-mandalay-next-year.html   Fund to assist anti-graft officers affected by risks.   The International Association of Anti-Corruption Au­tho­rities (IAACA) has set up a special Champions Fund to assist anti-corruption officers affected by risks in the line of duty, and Malaysia became the first country to donate RM500,000 (US$120,000) to the fund. The Star: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/12/12/fund-to-assist-antigraft-officers-affected-by-risks/   Palace: Duterte to sign bill ...

Malaysia lost RM47b in GDP value to corruption last year, says DPM.   “Imagine if the most vulnerable of our society — our women, children, the poor — did not have to rely on bribes and ‘knowing the right people’ to get services they need,” Dr. Wan Azizah, Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia said in her keynote address at the United Against Corruption: Anchoring Anti-Corruption in Good Governance forum, organized in collaboration with UNDP in Malaysia. Malay Mail: https://www.malaymail.com/s/1703796/malaysia-lost-rm47b-in-gdp-value-to-corruption-last-year-says-dpm   Maldives seize US$6.5 million from former president. Former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen is under investigation for corruption, police said, after a court ordered accounts holding US$6.5 million to be frozen. Channel NewsAsia: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/maldives-seize-us-6-5-million-from-former-president-11036906   Vietnam launches h...

Promoting an effective and fair settlement of state-investment disputes.  “If the court system becomes ineffective due to corruption, it will not only undermine the confidence of citizens and enterprises in the justice system, but it also has a direct and significant impact on good business practices. Ensuring an effective dispute resolution mechanisms and the fair application of justice is one of the key measures to fight against corruption”. Dang Cong San: http://en.dangcongsan.vn/social-affairs/promoting-an-effective-and-fair-settlement-of-state-investment-disputes-508147.html   Spreading the word to derail corrupt practices.  A Malaysian three-coach commuter train bedecked with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) logo and carrying a message ‘Against Bribery, Building Dignity’ will now serve as a symbolic carriage to battle corruption, reminding the public to abhor corrupt practices. Lo Tern Chern/The Star: https...

Get AP-INTACT posts on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/apintactnetwork ) and Blogger ( http://newsbin-apintact.blogspot.com/ ) If a link below does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser’s address bar instead. REGIONAL: It takes two to tango: building the case for business integrity effectiveness (Blog).  “While traditionally the onus to combat corruption has been placed upon government by its people, we need concerted efforts from not only the public sector, but also from private companies, civil society, media and the people.” Irakli Kotetishvili, Elodie Beth and Kamolwan Panyasevanamit/UNDP: http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/presscenter/articles/2018/it-takes-two-to-tango--building-the-case-for-business-integrity-0.html AFGHANISTAN: International Anti-Corruption Day Marked in Afghanistan.   The occasion was marked by the UN and the government of Afghanistan at the presidential ...

Foreign bribery enforcement: What happens to the public officials on the receiving end? (Resource).  The report looks at what happened to the public officials in a set of 55 concluded cases between 2008 and 2013 where OECD-based companies were punished for bribing foreign public officials Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development : http://www.oecd.org/corruption/foreign-bribery-enforcement-what-happens-to-the-public-officials-on-the-receiving-end.htm   Holding Relatives Hostage: China's Newest Way of Pressuring Fugitives to Return to Face Corruption Charges (Blog).  "Holding family members hostage to force a relative to surrender to authorities is a species of collective punishment, a patent human rights' violation universally condemned by the world community." Rick Messick/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2018/12/12/holding-relatives-hostage-chinas-newest-way-of-pressuring-fugitives-to-return-to-face-co...

Singapore charges two Chinese workers over 'one-dollar bribes'.   Singapore has charged two Chinese migrant workers for demanding bribes as small as S$1 (73 U.S. cents), its anti-graft authority said, stressing that the financial hub known for its clean image will not tolerate corruption no matter how small. Fathin Ungku/Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-corruption/singapore-charges-two-chinese-workers-over-one-dollar-bribes-idUSKBN1OA0XF   Luxury watches, fine liquor among most popular in auction of gifts received by officials.  Amid an ongoing crackdown on corruption, officials in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, donated the gift cards, jewelry, collectibles, digital electronic products and alcohol they had received over the years to a special auction that netted 1.64 million yuan ($237,000), from which the money will flow to the local government. Zhang Dan/Global Times: http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1131556.shtml ...

FIJI : Corruption distorts development: Catanasiga.  Corruption disrupts development because it distorts the distribution of resources and development opportunities. https://www.fijitimes.com/corruption-distorts-development-catanasiga/ Visa Launches Payments Security Roadmap To Strengthen Tourism And Economies In The Pacific.  Visa’s Head of South Pacific Andy McCowan said it introduced initiatives to strengthen the security of the payments ecosystem and help address the threat of fraud in the region. http://fijisun.com.fj/2018/12/13/visa-launches-payments-security-roadmap-to-strengthen-tourism-and-economies-in-the-pacific/ How Cyber Criminals Defraud Fijians.  The Fiji Financial Intelligence Unit has issued an alert after four cases of cyber fraud were noted this year. http://fijisun.com.fj/2018/12/08/how-cyber-criminals-defraud-fijians/ WAF engineer fronts court for alleged bribery.  A 29-year-old man appeared at the Suva Magistrat...

Battling Corruption (Editorial).   “International Anti-Corruption Day was marked last Sunday with the Philippines already having all the legal weapons to fight the scourge. What is needed is full enforcement.” The Philippine Star: https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2018/12/11/1875980/editorial-battling-corruption   Vietnam arrests ship firm execs for embezzling US$4.5 million.  Two executives from a near-bankrupt state-run shipbuilding company have been arrested in Vietnam on accusations of embezzling US$4.5 million in collusion with a scandal-plagued bank, as the one-party state broadens its unprecedented corruption crackdown. The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/vietnam-arrests-ship-firm-execs-for-embezzling-us45-million   Corruption allegations against construction firm at heart of Hung Hom station scandal left out of public report by MTR Corp.  Corruption allegations made against the firm accused of ...

It takes two to tango: building the case for business integrity effectiveness (Blog).  “While traditionally the onus to combat corruption has been placed upon government by its people, we need concerted efforts from not only the public sector, but also from private companies, civil society, media and the people.” Irakli Kotetishvili, Elodie Beth and Kamolwan Panyasevanamit/UNDP: http://www.asia-pacific.undp.org/content/rbap/en/home/presscenter/articles/2018/it-takes-two-to-tango--building-the-case-for-business-integrity-0.html   PH ranks 1st in transparency, 3rd in public participation.  “The Philippines scored 67 out of 100 for budget transparency, making the country the best in Asia and 19th in the world in terms of fiscal transparency just after Germany. The global average score is 42. So here, we’re better than Indonesia, Jordan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar,” DBM Se...

Extending anti-corruption fight to private sector enables fair business environment.   Some of the highlights of the revised law include attempts to curb conflicts of interests by banning those in management positions from signing contracts with businesses run by their relatives or assigning relatives or friends to accounting and treasury posts, as well as stopping former officials from establishing or running a company in the sector they had worked in. Viet Nam News: https://vietnamnews.vn/politics-laws/481583/extending-anti-corruption-fight-to-private-sector-enables-fair-business-environment.html#oSocGRJMTpSGaGS3.97   Moody’s: Malaysia to face serious hurdles in curbing graft.  Putrajaya will face serious hurdles to reign in “pervasive” corruption that is already causing credit constraints and undermining government effectiveness, Moody’s said as it affirmed the country’s domestic and foreign debt ratings at A3. Syed...

Serious About Fighting Corruption? How To Encourage Whistleblowing In Your Business.   Despite the almost rock star aura surrounding certain high-profile whistleblowers, however, there remain several imposing hurdles to exposing corruption within one's workplace. Antonino Vaccaro/Forbes:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/iese/2018/12/06/serious-about-fighting-corruption-how-to-encourage-whistleblowing-in-your-business/#426ae7752b9e   Qatar ruler, Dr Mahathir present anti corruption awards to outstanding individuals.   The Sheikh Tamim Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award is to promote the importance of tackling corruption around the world and encouraging the efforts of the decisive measures stipulated in the United Nations Convention against Corruption. The Sun Daily: https://www.thesundaily.my/local/qatar-ruler-dr-mahathir-present-anti-corruption-awards-to-outstanding-individuals-MB232196   Operation Dragon: Ne...

KIRIBATI: Kiribati NGO calls for release of Butiraoi report findings.   The NGO Kiribati Citizens Against Corruption is calling for the findings of a report into the  Butiraoi  sinking to be released. https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/377382/kiribati-ngo-calls-for-release-of-butiraoi-report-findings   FIJI: FCOSS calls for collaborative approach to combat corruption.   Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) executive director Vani Catanasiga has urged businesses to work with non-government organisations (NGOs) on developing local tools for combating corruption. https://www.fijitimes.com/fcoss-calls-for-collaborative-approach-to-combat-corruption/ Former manager facing corruption charges to take plea next year.  Reginald Lal who is charged with one count of falsification of documents appeared this morning before Magistrate Deepika Prakash. https://www.fijitimes.com/former-manager-facing-corruption-charges-to-take-p...