Thailand outgoing regime / Indonesia beneficial ownership / Asia infrastructure transparency

-

PM wins poor transparency marks.  Thailand’s outgoing regime appeared to succeed in promoting transparency in procurement projects early in its tenure. However, in the last two years questions were raised over its handling of infrastructure projects, Tippatrai Saelawong, a researcher in regulatory policy said.

Mongkol Bangprapa and Aekarach Sattaburuth/Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/1710219/pm-wins-poor-transparency-marks

 

Indonesia vows to eradicate corporate money laundering, tax evasion.  The government is set to intensify its crackdown on people hiding behind business entities for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion following the signing of an interministerial agreement on sharing information on corporations’ beneficial owners. The MoU was signed by several ministers and their representatives, including Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.

Kharishar Kahfi/The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/07/05/indonesia-vows-to-eradicate-corporate-money-laundering-tax-evasion.html

 

Connecting Asia.  “To sustainably develop, finance and carry out infrastructure projects, the region needs to mobilise private capital and bring policymakers, investors and industry specialists together to promote efficiency and transparency in projects that are socially responsible and commercially viable.

Tanyatorn Tongwaranan/Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1708671/connecting-asia

Popular posts from this blog

The Pacific - Nepal - Eastern Europe & Central Asia

-
[Blog] How are perceptions of corruption in seven small Pacific countries? Larger Pacific Island neighbors are often garnering the lion's share of attention both from researchers and policy makers. How are the experiences of corruption in countries like Tuvalu, Tokelau, Niue, the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), The Cook Islands, Palau, and Nauru? DevPolicy Blog: https://devpolicy.org/perceptions-of-corruption-in-seven-small-pacific-island-countries-20230223/   [Opinion] Two decades of new anti-corruption law in Nepal: Why it missed its mark. According to a Nepalese journalist, the Anti-Corruption law and Prevention of Corruption act of 2002 laid the foundation for numerous investigations, scandals, and court cases. To a large extent, they did however fail to enable significant conviction and return of assets. Online Khabar: https://english.onlinekhabar.com/anti-corruption-law-missing-target.html   [Blog] Growing security risks and authoritarian
Read more

Middle East & North Africa - Ukraine - Sri Lanka

-
Corruption fuels ongoing conflict. The Middle East and North Africa has been in a decline on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for years. The region is also ranked as the "least peaceful region" according to the Global Peace Index. Transparency International (TI) argues that corruption, conflict, and security are profoundly intertwined. TI: https://www.transparency.org/en/news/cpi-2022-middle-east-north-africa-corruption-fuels-ongoing-conflict   [Opinion] Ukraine's corruption purge is setting the stage for private investment-driven recovery. Corruption is regarded as a key threat to the Ukrainian economy, depriving public budgets and discouraging foreign direct investments (FDI). The current administration has taken strong anti-corruption action, and the country has witnessed a significant increase in FDI in recent years, says author. DevDiscourse: https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/business/2353089-ukraines-corruption-purge-setting-stage-
Read more

Global - Sub-Saharan Africa - Turkey & Syria

-
Invisible Trillions review: Global capitalism operates beyond the rule of law and threatens democracy. Raymond W. Baker's new book "Invisible Trillions" argues that "secrecy has become as important for corporations as transparent and taxable profits used to be". "Only radical improvements across the globe in financial transparency and accountability, and in regulatory capacity and integrity, can break this cycle of political decay and despair". The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/invisible-trillions-review-global-capitalism-operates-beyond-the-rule-of-law-and-threatens-democracy-199311   [Blog] The dynamics of violent extremism in sub-Saharan Africa. There is no better environment for the expansion of violent extremist groups than a vacuum in state authority. These groups begin to compete with the state and may even be initially attractive to communities weary of years of lawlessness, corruption, and chaos according to autho
Read more