AP-INTACT

Business Integrity Trends in Asia-Pacific: Beyond the Covid-19 Crisis (Virtual roundtable).  This session on 31 March at 13:00 (GMT+7) will bring together representatives from different sectors to discuss examples and exchanges ideas about innovative anti-corruption initiatives that can help companies from big to small, weather the damages of the pandemic and maximize the impact of their companies by doing business with integrity. Register via the link below. OECD: https://meetoecd1.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aKJIzd7kTIS9AvVRK_iB9A      Local products come first (Editorial).  “These policy instruments are designed to enforce the government policy of local content requirements for the various segments of the manufacturing sector…The next concern is how the government will ensure that competition between domestic suppliers who benefit from the local content requirement is fair and transparent, not exploited by brokers in collusion wit...

DOH wants vaccine line-jumpers punished; 5 mayors must explain.  “According to [Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III], local officials who skip the line can be prosecuted for violating the graft and corrupt practices law. Dexter Cabalza and Patricia Denise M. Chiu/Inquirer: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1411062/doh-wants-vaccine-line-jumpers-punished-5-mayors-must-explain     Jokowi’s contradictions and the struggle to remake Indonesia (Commentary).  “Lauded as an outsider who would shake up the corrupt, nepotistic system, he has become the consummate transactional politician, with his once-shy family even following him into politics.” Ben Bland/Lowy Institute: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/jokowi-s-contradictions-and-struggle-remake-indonesia        MDEC signs declaration of corruption-free pledge, commits to strong corporate governance.  “The Malaysia Digital Economy ...

Decline in corruption gave 100bps boost to India's GDP in 2012-18: SBI Ecowrap.  “India's economic growth increased 100 basis points (bps) between FY13 and FY19, courtesy a 16 point improvement in its ranking on corruption perception Index, a report [Ecowrap report by State Bank of India] shows” Business Today: https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/decline-in-corruption-gave-100bps-boost-to-india-gdp-in-2012-18-sbi-ecowrap/story/434557.html     Tackling corruption in a time of crisis.  “Corruption can be systemic in countries where illegal harvest is common. Serious allegations of bribery and fraud occur at all levels of governance; from issuance of harvest permits, to officials checking trucks at checkpoints, to government ministers with authority over all stages of the production and transport of wildlife products.” Willow Outhwaite/TRAFFIC: https://www.traffic.org/news/tackling-corruption-in-a-time-of-cr...

REMINDER: Impact of corruption and integrity on COVID-19 response and recovery (Virtual event).  The virtual interactive circle today at 9PM (GMT +8) will will reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic in the past year from the perspective of anti-corruption and integrity, and discuss the various strategies undertaken by governments, civil society, international organizations and the donor community in integrating anti-corruption in and beyond COVID-19 response and recovery. This session is organized by UNDP, Knowledge Partner of the virtual 2021 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum. OECD: https://oecd-events.org/gacif2021/session/26285452-3c80-eb11-b566-000d3a20ecf5     Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery Policy and Compliances- India.   “In recent years, anti-bribery and anti-corruption regime [in India] went through a massive change…The change in attitudes towards corruption and corporate responsibility movements has also heightened bus...

Gender Diversity for a Fair Business Environment (Event recording).  On International Women’s Day (8 March) UNDP in Asia and the Pacific’s high-level panel discussed how business integrity goes well beyond anti-corruption compliance, and touches upon diversity, inclusion and gender equal leadership. The event recording can be accessed via the link below. At the event, we also launched our new report, Gender Diversity and Inclusion for a Fair Business Environment: An ASEAN Narrative”. Direct link to report: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/democratic-governance/gender-diversity-and-inclusion-for-a-fair-business-environment.html UNDP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qHQ7AQLGRA&ab_channel=FairBizASEAN     Former Sorsogon governor convicted of graft.  “The Sandiganbayan [Philippine anti-graft court] convicted former Sorsogon [province] Gov. Raul Lee [to 12 years’ imprisonment] over the irregula...

Eyes on 2030: Holding power to account for the common good (Blog).  “It is timely that this year we launch our Strategy 2030: Holding Power to Account for the Common Good. It is a strategy dedicated to leading the next decade’s fight against corruption by showing what it will take to achieve a more positive future for all.” Delia Ferreira Rubio and Rueben L. Lifuka/Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/eyes-on-2030-holding-power-to-account-for-the-common-good     The corruption link (Opinion).  “Corruption reduces the efficacy of investments on climate resilience. It contributes to the climate vulnerability of voters, consumers and citizens at large, particularly the poor, women and minorities…Corruption and political capture not only limits the quality of decision-making, it also obstructs effective climate actions and the strength of related institutions.” Ali Tauqeer Sheikh/Dawn: ...

Impact of corruption and integrity on COVID-19 response and recovery (Virtual event).  This workshop will discuss the impact of corruption and integrity on COVID-19 response and recovery, and the importance of integrating anti-corruption in and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. This session is organized by UNDP, Knowledge Partner of the virtual 2021 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum. OECD: https://oecd-events.org/gacif2021/session/26285452-3c80-eb11-b566-000d3a20ecf5     Beneficial ownership data in procurement (Policy brief).  [Beneficial Ownership (BO) data improves public procurement processes and objectives [in the following ways]: Prevent fraud and corruption by helping detect potential signs of bid-rigging and conflicts of interest; Improve service delivery through competition…Oversight, verification and accountability by civil society and the public…improving the business environment, allowing companies to use BO data t...

SOLOMON ISLANDS Right to Information and Freedom of Speech are Key Tools for Good Governance. The virtual information session is part of the UN Pacific Regional Anti-Corruption (UN-PRAC) project, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) joint project… The participants and speakers had a chance to exchange their experiences on establishing and implementing ‘Right to Information’ with the Integrity Institutions and the Office of Prime Minister.   https://www.solomontimes.com/news/right-to-information-and-freedom-of-speech-are-key-tools-for-good-governance/10711   COOK ISLANDS High profile corruption case underway in the Cook Islands.  A high profile corruption case is underway in the Cook Islands involving the current prime minister Mark Brown and his predecessor Henry Puna. Both men are being accused of fraud and misusing public money.     ...

Human Rights Court underpins asset declarations with legal certainty (Blog).  “In particular the following points stand out from a new judgement: The right to privacy may not even apply to checking inexplicable wealth of a public official. Based on ‘preliminary findings’ of inexplicable wealth, the burden of proof may shift to the official ‘in order to prove the contrary’. A financial check, as grounds for a dismissal, can go back decades. Furthermore, the Court reflected for the first time on a methodology for calculating inexplicable wealth. To this end, it applied the cash-flow method.” Tilman Hoppe/On Matters Constitutional: https://verfassungsblog.de/money-talks/   Thank you to Dr. Tilman Hoppe for sharing his blog.   We must clean up global finance to ‘build back better’ (Opinion).  “Key to combating corrupt and corrosive finance is ending the secrecy that favours it. The UN [Financial Acco...

New Transparency International report makes five global recommendations for regulating online political advertising.   “A new [TI] report…identifies critical risks to the integrity of political financing posed by online advertising and makes five recommendations to policymakers worldwide…1. Bring regulation into the digital era…2. Ensure authentic political messaging…3.Hold platforms accountable for ad transparency…4. Raise the bar for financial reporting…5. Restrict microtargeting and enhance standards for trading personal data. Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/press/new-transparency-international-report-makes-five-global-recommendations-for-regulating-online-political-advertising     Political parties need serious introspection (Opinion). “Merely parroting that opposition leaders are corrupt to the core demoralises the nation and raises doubts about the efficacy of democracy cre...

Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission in dire straits (Opinion).  “Rivalry among judges in the Constitutional Court may lead to revocation of some minor parts of the new [Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)] law, but political control exercised over the KPK by Jokowi and Megawati’s ruling coalition will not be weakened in the current term. Control over the KPK only looks set to intensify as a feature of Indonesia’s intra-elite contestation.” Jeremy Mulholland and Zainal Arifin Mochtar/East Asia Forum: https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/03/16/indonesias-corruption-eradication-commission-in-dire-straits/      Corruption is deadlier than COVID-19 (Opinion).  “That money could have also been used for vaccines against COVID-19, which has already killed more than 12,000 people…However, COVID-19 has several vaccines already being made available to boost people’s immunity. Unfortunately there ...

Myanmar Junta Lobs Corruption Claim at Senior NLD Leaders.  “[Military spokesman] Zaw Min Tun claimed that Myanmar’s Anti-Corruption Commission, now stacked with junta appointees, was investigating senior NLD officials for possible financial crimes.” Sebastian Strangio/The Diplomat: https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/myanmar-junta-lobs-corruption-claim-at-senior-nld-leaders/       Thai woman now in California over huge Navy corruption case.  “A former executive for a Singapore-based defense contractor linked to a sweeping corruption scandal that cost the [US] Navy some $35 million appeared…in a California courtroom to face federal charges.” Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/san-diego-asia-leonard-francis-california-classified-information-ded6f009a3d46ad8e0115db1e2ad5127       Japan's ethics code for officials in focus as dining scandal rumbles on.  “Recent reve...

Urgency of COVID-19 exacerbates corruption risk in Indonesia, says deputy chair of anti-graft commission.   “In an exclusive interview with CNA, Mr Nurul Ghufron noted that COVID-19 has prompted the government to loosen regulations and bypass procedures in order to procure health equipment quickly as well as to roll out incentives and social aid in a timely manner.” Nivell Rayda/ChannelNews Asia: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/indonesia-corruption-commission-kpk-covid19-manipulation-14360582     Maximum corruption complaints remain unattended.  “Although a total of 21,371 allegations were submitted to [Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission] in the year 2019, the commission approved only 1,710 allegations for enquiry and it did not put forth the remaining 19,661 allegations, according to the ACC annual report published recently” Muhammad Yeasin/The Independent: https://www.theindependentbd.com/post/25993...

Call for Papers: Data Analytics for Anticorruption in Public Administration.   “The Governance Global Practice (GGP) of the World Bank is developing data analytic tools to enhance the analysis and measurement of corruption as part of its new Anticorruption Initiatives…The research program encompasses three phases of activities: a call for papers; a symposium; and a special collection of articles in Data & Policy, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal published by Cambridge University Press.” Abstract submission deadline: Monday 15 March 2021 World Bank: https://www.worldbank.org/en/events/2020/12/10/call-for-papers-data-analytics-for-anti-corruption#3     The Spirit of China in Cambodia (Blog). “Business connections between ‘old’ Chinese (descendants of migrants who came to Cambodia during the French protectorate to engage in commerce, some whom have strong connections with the current urban elites) and the new Chin...

The powerful escaping crime hurt Philippines' economic freedom.  “Corruption, bureaucratic red tape, and preferential treatment of the powerful compounded increasing trade barriers to pull down the Philippines in the latest annual gauge of economic freedom. The country dropped three places to rank 73rd out of 184 nations included in the Heritage Foundation’s Economic Freedom Index this year” Ian Nicolas Cigaral/Philstar: https://www.philstar.com/business/2021/03/04/2081950/powerful-escaping-crime-hurt-philippines-economic-freedom     Indonesian governor’s arrest in road project points to more tainted contracts.  “Environmental activists are calling on [Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)] to expand the investigation to include other infrastructure projects approved by Nurdin [the governor of South Sulawesi province, arrested for alleged corruption in an upcoming road project in the province]”...

How China's Massive Corruption Crackdown Snares Entrepreneurs Across The Country (Feature).  “President Xi Jinping launched the campaign in 2018 with the slogan "Saohei chu'e," meaning "sweep away black and eliminate evil."… The saohei campaign has also overlapped with an unusual number of arrests of wealthy businessmen.” Emily Feng/NPR: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/04/947943087/how-chinas-massive-corruption-crackdown-snares-entrepreneurs-across-the-country    Why Do So Few Corruption Victims Seek Compensation? (Blog).  “Why, despite the prevalence of corruption, the damage it has wreaked, and the worldwide attention it has drawn, have so few corruption victims sought redress. I hypothesize three factors are to blame: courts’ narrow reading of legal doctrine, especially that governing causation for harm…shortcomings in procedure, and in some countries the threat violent retaliation.” Richar...

Artidjo Alkostar Once Explain the Difficulties of Sentencing Death on Corruptors.   “Former member of [Indonesia’s] Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) supervisory board Artidjo Alkostar passed away at the age of 72 years old…Many people active in the anti-graft movement would testify that Alkostar’s name itself would menace corruptors in Indonesia as he would seek to punish graft suspects severely.” Tempo: https://en.tempo.co/read/1437489/artidjo-alkostar-once-told-the-difficulties-of-sentencing-death-on-corruptors      New Podcast, Featuring Diana Chigas and Cheyanne Scharbatke-Church (Blog/Podcast).  “In this week’s episode [of KickBack: The Global Anticorruption Podcast]…[after] describing how they came to a focus on corruption from a background in conflict resolution and peace-building, Professors Chigas and Scharbatke-Church [at Tufts University] describe the “systems analysis”...

Anger as graft suspects, lawmakers’ families get vaccinated.   “The [Corruption Eradication Commission] is currently holding 61 graft suspects in detention centers at and near its headquarters in South Jakarta. According to the commission’s statement, 39 detainees received their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, including former Cabinet ministers Juliari Batubara and Edhy Prabowo.” Marchio Irfan Gorbiano/The Jakarta Post: https://www.thejakartapost.com/paper/2021/02/28/anger-as-graft-suspects-lawmakers-families-get-vaccinated.html      How Can Anticorruption Actors Use EITI Disclosures? (Report). “As the [Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative] considers how it can more effectively play a role in addressing corruption, the authors of this report aim to shed light on how EITI’s current reporting can help oversight actors understand and address corruption risks…Based on a review of EITI documents from ...

Gender Diversity for a Fair Business Environment (Virtual event).   A fair business environment will only be achieved when barriers that women face to access and thrive in the workplace are removed. Join UNDP and the distinguished speakers on Monday 8 March at 16:00 (GMT+7) to hear their stories as business leaders in ASEAN of companies at the forefront of diversity and inclusion, members of women’s business associations, and government representatives. Register via the link below. UNDP: https://undp.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LnnE_yHTQ9-B6qoLdPlDUA   Are Malaysia’s Anti-Corruption Laws Outdated? (Opinion).  “It’s high time that Malaysia’s anti-corruption laws, particularly in respect of the MACC Act (2009), be further improved to strengthen the hand of the MACC and promote an anti-corruption culture in the country...the Elections Act (1958) should be amended to require political parties and candidates to disclose their don...

UN FACTI Panel report should serve as blueprint for global anti-corruption action (Press Release).  “The report published…by the UN High Level Panel on International Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity (FACTI Panel) lays out a clear vision for a cooperative international framework to combat corruption, tax evasion, money laundering and other financial crimes. It is imperative that this is converted into action by the international community.” Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/press/un-facti-panel-report-blueprint-for-global-anti-corruption-action       Why Communist Anti-Corruption Campaigns Never Work (Opinion).  “Because they are inherently top-down and focused on curing individuals of the natural impulse towards graft in a system that is irremediably extractive, they’ll either run out of steam once their proponents retire from office or run out of victims unless, ...

UN Panel: End financial abuses to save people and planet (Press release and Report).  “Governments can finance critical action on extreme poverty, COVID-19 and the climate crisis and by recovering the billions of dollars lost through tax abuse, corruption and money-laundering, says a UN panel. The High-Level Panel on International Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity for Achieving the 2030 Agenda (FACTI Panel) is calling on governments to agree to a Global Pact for Financial Integrity for Sustainable Development.” Direct link to the report: https://www.factipanel.org/report FACTI: https://www.factipanel.org/press-release/un-panel-end-financial-abuses-to-save-people-and-planet       ‘Denormalize corruption,’ says Vico Sotto after getting US State Department award.  ““Thank you to the US Department of State for this recognition. But more than the recognition, I hope this helps raise aware...