12 June, 2008

Malaysia Improving In Corruption Index ?

Excerpts from Bernama :

"Malaysia has made a headway in the battle against corruption, but the country can do better, according to an analysis in a United Nation's Development Programme (UNDP) report."

The report, presented by Transparency International (TI) Malaysia president Tan Sri Ramon V Navaratnam here today, stated that Malaysia ranked sixth according to the World Bank and TI, but ninth according to the International Country Risk Guide (ICRG).

Navaratnam said this was the first time a report on how corruption impacted human development had been delivered.

Although the World Bank's Control of Corruption Index (CCI) and TI's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) showed higher progress, the ICRG, which perceives corruption from business and trade aspects, reflected a steady deterioration over the last decade from 4.00 in 1996 to 2.38 in 2006.

And to make things worse, UNDP reported that corruption hit the poor hardest, especially through what had been termed as "petty" or "street" corruption where low-level officials (in permit registration, licensing, police) could harrass the people for extra money to "grease the wheels".


M'sia's corruption at critical level: watchdog

"Corruption deeply entrenched in the negotiation of contracts, says member of graft watchdog."

-AFP



CORRUPTION in Malaysia has reached a critical level as the country falls in international rankings, a graft watchdog announced on Thursday, warning the government to act or lose its competitiveness.

The UN's Asia-Pacific Human Development Report highlighted an International Country Risk Guide finding which saw Malaysia decline from a score of 4.00 in 1996 to 2.38 in 2006, with a lower score representing greater corruption.

'It is worrying because it is a business index which reflects on our domestic investment, foreign direct investment and confidence in the economy,' said Ramon Navaratnam, country head of graft watchdog Transparency International.

'Corruption is at a critical level here,' he said.

He said corruption in Malaysia was deeply entrenched in the negotiation of contracts. Bribes were paid to government officials to speed up trade licences, for police protection and for loan transactions.

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