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Collaborative Review Opportunity - ERCAS Transparency Index.   We would like to ask you for support in reviewing the T-index, a de facto measurement of government transparency across 120 countries. To enable peer review, we have made our dataset public and are kindly asking you to take a look at your country/region of expertise and assess if any of the recorded scores does not correspond to the knowledge you have about it. In that case, please make the adequate changes to the dataset (link below).  Francesco Bono / European Research Centre for Anti-Corruption and State-Building (ERCAS):  https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/kja00a0ex3q2enywetljb/T-index-Crowdsourcing.xlsx?dl=0&rlkey=u99qn7udye1uz2f6etkp23j8c Thank you to Prof. Dr. Alina Mungiu-Pippidi and Débora Araújo, ERCAS, for sharing this opportunity.   Corrupt networks in the Indonesian forestry sector (Blog/Research). “The [Social Network Analysis] case study of Pelalawan...

Investing in women-led businesses (Webinar).  As part of UNDP’s webinar series on gender and good corporate governance, this webinar on 2 September 2020 at 11am-12pm (GMT+7) will be an interactive discussion on why we should be investing in women-led businesses, and the role private sector and investors can play in driving gender diversity and closing the gender gap. Please join through the link below. UNDP: https://undp.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Gevoc2MuTnqVVVK4EiwuWQ   Corruption Amid A Pandemic (Opinion). “In the process of addressing corruption in PhilHealth, leaders, and lawmakers of the country need to take cognisance of certain aspects of PhilHealth as a public institution that need to be changed…there’s a need to widen the membership of the PhilHealth board to accommodate other concerned stakeholders who could serve as “watchdogs” on PhilHealth’s affairs and operations.” Anna Malindog-Uy/The ASEAN Post...

Agenda for Business Integrity: Collective Action (Paper).   “After several years of anti-corruption Collective Actions initiatives… there is consensus that Collective Action can take four main forms…Anti-Corruption Declarations…Standard-Setting Initiatives…Capacity-Building Initiatives…[and] Integrity Pacts.” Gabriel Cecchini/World Economic Forum: http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Agenda_for_Business_Integrity.pdf      Anti-corruption campaign in political and legal systems, heavier blows on way: experts.    “In response to the recent spike of corruption cases, the Committee of Political and Legal Affairs, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee unveiled a campaign…[which] is expected to be carried out at all levels of political and legal systems from 2021, and complete its mission by the first quarter of 2022” Fan Anqi and Xu Keyue/Global Times: https://www.globaltime...

Probe 'points to graft' in THAI A340 aircraft deal.   “Some employees of Thai Airways International (THAI) became unusually rich from a major plane procurement deal struck in 2003-2004… despite the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council objecting to THAI acquiring those type of planes.” Bangkok Post: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1971787/probe-points-to-graft-in-thai-a340-aircraft-deal      Jokowi administration spends Rp 90.4 billion on 'influencers': ICW.  “President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration has spent at least Rp 90.4 billion (US$6 million) for digital activities involving so-called influencers since 2017, according to data collected by Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW)…from publicly available goods and services procurement data published on the electronic procurement service system (LPSE).” Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie/The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejaka...

Ask ministers to put instructions in writing, says anti-graft body.   “A governance and anti-corruption watchdog has advised heads of companies to safeguard themselves against any unethical instructions from ministers…“If it is wrong, please inform the minister to put it in writing and that you will take it to the board of directors,” he said, referring to Section 17A of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Act 2018.”” Minderjeet Kaur/Free Malaysia Today: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/08/19/ask-ministers-to-put-instructions-in-writing-says-anti-graft-body/   Corruption and Deadly Accidents (Blog).   “there are at least two channels through which corruption can increase the likelihood and magnitude of deadly accidents: First, there’s what I’ll call the “direct” channel—parties may use corrupt means to induce regulators to fail to adopt, or fail to...

TODAY: Webinar Series on United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Registration.   A webinar on ‘Progress of Whistleblowers Protection in Indonesia: Current Challenges and Way Forward’ will be held on Monday 24 August 2020, 9.00-11.00 Jakarta time. Please register via the link below to join the discussion on Zoom, conducted with Bahasa Indonesia-English simultaneous interpretation. KPK and UNODC: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYOUcYBUGmxa55bkuTKLpz9XOpbQIGStu9_F8dJ7cOai49rQ/viewform   Has Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign been effective? China’s land transactions provide one answer (Opinion).   “While a study found that firms linked to members of the Politburo enjoyed a sizeable advantage in the land market, it also noted a drop in the level of price discounts on land transactions to such firms after the anti-corruption campaign kicked off." Ting Chen/South China Morning Post:  https...

New Zealand Boost Anti-Corruption Efforts In The Pacific.  A new Pacific-wide anti-corruption partnership has been launched between the Government of New Zealand and the United Nations Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) Project, in an effort to improve the livelihoods of people in 13 Pacific Island countries. https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO2008/S00166/new-zealand-boost-anti-corruption-efforts-in-the-pacific.htm   PNG: PNG’s ex-PM Peter O’Neill buys $6m Warrawee house as Point Piper digs quietly sold.  Mr O’Neill returned from Sydney to PNG in May to give evidence at a corruption inquiry into the UBS loan affair in which the country’s leaders are accused of breaking the law in 2014 in approving a $US1.2 billion load from the Swiss bank. https://www.domain.com.au/news/pngs-ex-pm-peter-oneill-buys-6m-warrawee-house-as-point-piper-digs-quietly-sold-979246/ Bougainville finance minister to face corruption trial.  Bougai...

Myanmar launches handbook to help firms combat corruption.   “The document, available in English and Myanmar language, aims to provide guidance for businesses in Myanmar to support their anti-graft programmes, drawing on inspiration from examples in Myanmar and elsewhere. It is structure around the eight principles for companies to take action to combat corruption issued by the [Anti-Corruption Commission].” Kyaw Soe Htet/Myanmar Times: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/myanmar-launches-handbook-help-firms-combat-corruption.html   An Evaluation Framework for Digital ID (Blog).   “National Digital ID programmes are being deployed worldwide to facilitate inclusion of marginalised communities, and ensure more effective and open governance through efficient delivery of government services and welfare measures, reduced corruption...[but] it is critical to adopt a rights-based approach and incorporate safeguards during their development and...

A people’s court must be open to public accountability (Opinion).   “A people’s court will naturally receive feedback, if not criticism, from the very people it claims to govern. If the Indian judiciary wishes to remain a public governance institution, it must embrace some rules of public accountability that it has long enforced on other institutions of governance in the country.” Shruti Rajagopalan/Mint: https://www.livemint.com/opinion/columns/a-people-s-court-must-be-open-to-public-accountability-11597676376770.html   Implicit Corruption in the Chinese Consumer Debt Industry? A Close Look at Recent Evidence (Blog).   “The paper [by Sumit Agarwal, Wenlan Qian, Amit Seru, and Jian Zhang], entitled “Disguised Corruption: Evidence from Consumer Credit in China,” presents quantitative evidence of an implicit quid pro quo between a large Chinese bank and government officials who wield regulatory authority over ...

Global survey highlights challenges and opportunities for public procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic (Blog).   “Some initial findings on the challenges and reform opportunities for public procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic include: Countries most affected by Covid-19 adopted a larger percentage of critical and risky procedures for emergency public procurement.” Serena Cocciolo, Vincenzo di Maro, and Sushmita Samaddar/World Bank: https://blogs.worldbank.org/governance/global-survey-highlights-challenges-and-opportunities-public-procurement-during-covid-19   75 years on, Indonesia grapples with entrenched corruption.  “Corruption remains an intractable issue to resolve in Indonesia 75 years after the country became independent…Recent pollsters also said that Indonesians were growing more permissive toward petty corruption, a trend experts fear could motivate major acts of corruption.” Galih Gumelar/The Jakarta Post: ...

Cause for contempt of Malaysia’s politicized courts (Opinion). “Coming so closely after Najib’s guilty verdict, the charges against Lim may boost Muhyiddin’s image as a fair and just leader…[and] may also appease some of the Malay nationalists who were upset after [the former finance minister] Lim’s previous corruption charges were dropped in 2018,” Nile Bowie: https://asiatimes.com/2020/08/cause-for-contempt-of-malaysias-politicized-courts/?mc_cid=6e9e54fc82&mc_eid=15da50ad12   Bhushan releases details of graft charges.   Indian Advocate Prashant Bhushan has contended that corruption in the judiciary does not mean monetary gratification alone but includes other offences such as fraud, abuse of discretion and favouritism, and that alleging graft cannot be contempt of court “per se”. The Telegraph: https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/prashant-bhushan-releases-details-of-graft-charges/cid/1789286  ...

Myanmar needs to reimagine its economic future.   “Myanmar’s most fundamental challenge is creating a stronger state at a time when most people, because of long years of oppression and corruption, want only to see the back of state institutions. Thant Myint-U/Frontier Myanmar: https://www.frontiermyanmar.net/en/myanmar-needs-to-reimagine-its-economic-future/      PM Modi launches ‘Transparent Taxation’ portal, a new faceless tax system.   “Industry captains and experts welcomed the initiative, saying it will minimise grey areas, eliminate discretion, and promote transparency and certainty. The move will help make India a competitive economy amid a changing global order by improving ease of doing business, while instilling confidence among Indian industry, they said.” Economic Times: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/policy/pm-modi-launches-transparent-taxation-portal-a-new-faceless-ta...

PNG: PNG electoral commissioner back in custody.  It's the second time police have arrested Gamato for bail infringement since he was arrested and charged for official corruption last October. https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/423495/png-electoral-commissioner-back-in-custody PNG-Australia Relations Back on Track.  The level of corruption in PNG has become a national security issue. https://postcourier.com.pg/png-australia-relations-back-on-track/ PNG Police charge alleged cocaine pilot under Pandemic Act 2020 says Manning.  He said additional charges will be laid under the Criminal Code Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing act as police continue investigations. https://news.pngfacts.com/2020/08/png-police-charge-alleged-cocaine-pilot.html   KIRIBATI: Kiribati's president's plans to raise islands in fight against sea-level rise.  The election was rife with accusations of corruption from both sides: all of which hav...

State Counsellor promises to continue support construction sector.   “U Barat Singh, Deputy Minister for Investment and Foreign Economic Relations, met with the Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association to discuss a new tender system for the construction sector that is both fair and transparent. “The current system lacks transparency and corruption exists in the form of bribes and other means,” said U Tun Tun, a representative from the association who attended the meeting” Yee Ywal Myint/Myanmar Times: https://www.mmtimes.com/news/state-counsellor-promises-continue-supporting-construction-sector.html      UNDP continues to train virtually with COVID-19 precautions.  “UNDP Afghanistan provided a 3-day virtual training…for judges and prosecutors of the Afghanistan Anti-Corruption Justice Centre (ACJC) to strengthen their capacity to address corruption cases…on the topic of “Expert Witness and Exp...

At Large: Are agents ever ‘legal’ under the FCPA? (Blog).  “There may be times and places when agents serve an important purpose. But anyone looking at the FCPA corporate enforcement record can see that intermediaries bring with them alarming compliance risks.” Richard L. Cassin/The FCPA Blog: https://fcpablog.com/2020/08/06/at-large-are-agents-ever-legal-under-the-fcpa/      Accountability, strict monitoring imperative to fight corruption in health sector “[Lawyer and environmental Syeda Rezwana Hasan] suggested a civil society platform be formed to act as a watchdog for curbing irregularities in the health sector, thus, improving its treatment facilities.” Dhaka Tribune: https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2020/08/08/accountability-strict-monitoring-imperative-to-fight-corruption-in-health-sector   ‘Corruption reaches new high in Afghan govt’s financial institutions’.   “In ...

Developing a Management Standard to Prevent Bribery: ISO 37001 Offers a New Approach, 2012 – 2019 (Resource/Publication).  “Initially, adoption [of the international antibribery management system standard] was slow for three main reasons: companies were focusing their attention on compliance with applicable national laws; introduction of the new standard would demand significant amounts of management time; and final certification would require costly review by an independent third party. A high-profile bribery scandal at one of the first certified companies also raised credibility concerns.” Tyler McBrien/Princeton University: https://successfulsocieties.princeton.edu/publications/developing-management-standard-prevent-bribery-iso-37001-offers-new-approach-2012-%E2%80%93     Goldman Sachs cuts quarterly earnings, citing legal provisions relating to the 1MDB scandal.  “The bank said in a filing it had set aside US$2.96 billion...

Malaysia’s ex-finance minister Lim Guan Eng arrested on corruption charges linked to RM6.3b Penang undersea tunnel.   “Malaysia's former finance minister Lim Guan Eng was arrested by the country's anti-graft bod…following weeks of a probe into an RM6.3 billion [approx. US$ 1.5 billion] undersea tunnel project that was green-lit during his tenure as Penang chief minister.” Ram Anand/The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/ex-finance-minister-lim-guan-eng-arrested-by-malaysias-anti-graft-body   Top PhilHealth exec resigns as corruption allegations hound agency.   Brig. Gen. Augustus de Villa, “[a] top official of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) resigned as the agency is hounded by fresh allegations of corruption…[involving] the procurement of alleged overpriced IT equipment; a supposedly questionable release of funds under the corporation’s Interim Reimbursement Mechanism ...

Pakistan: End Anti-Corruption Agency’s Abuses (Statement). “Pakistani authorities should follow up a recent Supreme Court decision and cease using the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to detain critics of the government, Human Rights Watch said…The authorities should investigate and prosecute NAB officials responsible for unlawful arrests and other abuses. Human Rights Watch: https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/06/pakistan-end-anti-corruption-agencys-abuses      It is way too early to celebrate Najib's historic corruption sentence (Opinion). “On the face of it, last week's guilty verdict against former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is a victory for clean government everywhere…[but] Najib's decision to appeal -- as is his right -- has raised fears that his convictions could be overturned, especially with so many of his political allies returning to power earlier this year.” Binaifer Nowrojee/Nikkei Asian Revie...

PNG: For all Marape’s achievements in PNG, the biggest challenges await.   Beyond the increase in Covid-19 cases and the effect the virus is having on lives and livelihoods, the government has overcome a court challenge to the election of Prime Minister James Marape and has undertaken some significant law reforms on the mining and anti-corruption fronts. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/all-marape-s-achievements-png-biggest-challenges-await     FIJI: Former Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services employee pleads guilty to corruption related charges.   A former temporary relieving packer with the Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services has pleaded guilty to causing the Ministry of Health a loss of $4,050.45 in the Suva Magistrates Court https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Former-Fiji-Pharmaceutical-and-Biomedical-Services-employee-pleads-guilty-to-corruption-related-charges-5rf48x/     SOLOMON ISLANDS: ...

Activist calls for integrity unit to fight business corruption.   “An Integrity and Governance Unit should be set up to combat corruption and other malpractices in the private sector…to improve existing policies and systems, and monitor enforcement and awareness programmes, said Akhbar Satar (the president of the Malaysia Association of Certified Fraud Examiners).” Free Malaysia Today:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2020/08/03/activist-calls-for-integrity-unit-to-fight-business-corruption/      Deterring corruption (Editorial).  With the Indonesian Supreme Court Regulation No.1/2020 stipulating that corruption convicts inflicting at least Rp 100 billion (US$6.88 million) in losses to the tate can be sentenced to life, “the public now has a strong basis for filing reports with the Judicial Commission against judges who they think have defied a sense of justice in handling a graft case” The Jakar...

Malaysian lawyer faces money laundering charges involving $4.9m cheques from Najib.   “Lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun [a legal adviser for Umno who had represented Najib in multiple court cases]…claimed trial to three money laundering charges for receiving RM15 million (S$4.9 million) in illicit funds from former premier Najib Razak in 2014 and 2015.” The Straits Times: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/lawyer-faces-money-laundering-charges-involving-s49-mil-cheques-from-najib   Killing of Pakistani anti-corruption journalist sparks protests.   “The murder of [Anwar jan Kethran,] a reporter known for exposing corruption has set off a wave of protests across Pakistan’s western Balochistan province, one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist.” Shah Meer Baloch and Emma Graham-Harrison/The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/03/killing-pakistani-anti-corruption-journalist...

Fighting private sector corruption (Opinion).   “The [Malaysian] Association of Certified Fraud Examiner (ACFE), in its Report to Nations 2020, stated that any corporates that did not practise a culture of anti-corruption and integrity could suffer losses of up to 5% of their profits.” Seri Akhbar Satar/The Star:  https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/letters/2020/08/04/fighting-private-sector-corruption   Supreme Court Encourages Judges to Deliver Life Sentence in Major Graft Cases.  “The [Indonesian] Supreme Court has issued a regulation encouraging judges to deliver a life sentence against any graft convict who has inflicted a loss of more than Rp 100 billion [approx.  US$6.9 mil] to the state. Fana Suparman/Jakarta Globe: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/supreme-court-encourages-judges-to-deliver-life-sentence-in-major-graft-cases   Southeast Asia and Latin America’s startup ecosystems are more similar than you thin...

Godmen or Conmen? How India’s Religious Trust Laws Facilitate Money Laundering Empires (Blog).   “One of the most common functions that godmen [charismatic religious leaders] perform in the illicit economy is the conversion of so-called “black money”…into “white money”…in exchange for a hefty fee. Godmen are able to get away with this due to unfortunate features of India’s religious trust laws, which are opaque and riddled with loopholes, and leave religious trusts largely unchecked and unsupervised.” Disha Verma/The Global Anticorruption Blog: https://globalanticorruptionblog.com/2020/07/22/godmen-or-conmen-how-indias-religious-trust-laws-facilitate-money-laundering-empires/   Unholy Alliance: How and Why India’s Politicians Protect India’s Corrupt Godmen (Blog).   “The politicians provide the godmen with political favors, special privileges...[and] the preservation...

Orders from Above: Curated Resources Exploring Social Norms and Public Authorities (Blog). “[Here is] a subset of the key resources…specifically those at the intersection of corruption, social norms, and public authorities…delving into related fields of social norms theory, public administration, and organizational behavior.” Cori Simmons/Tufts University: https://sites.tufts.edu/ihs/orders-from-above-curated-resources-exploring-social-norms-and-public-authorities/   The evolution of the EITI and next steps for tackling extractive industries corruption (Blog). “What participatory efforts like [Multi-Stakeholder Groups (MSGs)] can miss…is an intentional focus on accountability mechanisms…Now, it is time to test new strategies by developing country-adapted and evidence-informed strategies to address corruption” Kelsey Landau and Victoria Bassetti/The Brookings Institution: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/...

Pacific islands: The cost to tomorrow of the crisis today   Today , young Pacific Islanders are increasing their demands to be heard on political issues, and they are impatient and frustrated with corruption and cronyism in structures of power and leadership.   https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/pacific-islands-cost-tomorrow-crisis-today         PNG:        Party aims to work closely with the young generation Leaders   in the 2000 have taken our nation away from the visions of becoming rich in our own nations, which want to bring back in the right path, they have brought us on a road that has led to greed, corruption, awarding of huge amount of money contracts with lesser costs and nepotism.   https://postcourier.com.pg/party-aims-to-work-closely-with-the-young-generation/         FIJI:      Land...