China BRI image / Indonesia legal reform / SOEs and collusion

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China's Belt and Road getting reboot to clean up its image.  Chinese President Xi Jinping’s grand Belt and Road Initiative is getting a makeover to tone down government rhetoric and tighten oversight, after allegations of corruption and a lack of sustainability dogged some of its highest-profile projects.

The Star: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2019/04/23/chinas-belt-and-road-getting-reboot-to-clean-up-its-image/

 

Opaque deals threatening Indonesia’s resources.  The Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is promoting legal reforms to address complex corruption schemes that have been recently highlighted by investigations into alleged cases of corruption in politics, vote buying, bribery in exchange for mining permits, and environmental damages.

UNODC: https://spark.adobe.com/page/NYK0B6dZlIBB7/

 

Privatization Promotes Collusion and Corruption (Opinion).  “Privatization is expected by many to promote competition and eliminate corruption. In practice, the converse has been true as privatization beneficiaries have successfully colluded and engaged in new types of corruption to maximize their own gains.”

Jomo Kwame Sundaram/Inter Press Service: http://www.ipsnews.net/2019/04/privatization-promotes-collusion-corruption/

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