1Malaysia, 56th in Transparency International's corruption perception index for 2009

(Image source - Malaysiakini )

Malaysia suffered a major blow in terms of combating corruption today when it fell to its worst ranking and score in 15 years in Transparency International's corruption perception index for 2009.

In the ranking which was revealed today Malaysia plunged nine places from last year's 47th CPI ranking to 56th position.

At the same time, Malaysia's CPI index score plunged to the lowest in 15 years to 4.5. It previous worst scores below 5 were 4.8 in 2000 and 4.9 in 2002.

Malaysia has been continuously sliding down in the TI index since it best ever placing of 33 in 2002.

In 2003, when Abdullah Ahmad Badawi took office, Malaysia was ranked 37. It dropped to 39 in 2005 and 43 in 2007. Last year it was ranked 48.

DAP parliamentarian leader Lim Kit Siang, in an immediate reaction, said while he had expected a poor result, he did not anticipate such a grave fall.

"This is a national shame and major blow for Najib's premiership," he said.

"I have no doubt that the mysterious death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock on July 16 and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's role as Umno's catspaw to declare war on Pakatan Rakyat instead of declaring war on corruption were major factors for Malaysia's worst-ever TI CPI ranking and score," he said.

He questioned if Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak will react to the embarrassing fall suffered by Malaysia. ( Read more here )


Singapore tied in 3rd place with Sweden in latest Corruption Perception Index 2009, scored 9.2 points out of 10 points.

Top marks went to New Zealand with 9.4 points and Denmark with 9.3 points.

Switzerland had a score of 9.0.

These scores reflect political stability, long-established conflict of interest regulations and solid, functioning public institutions.

Transparency International said 180 countries were surveyed for the 2009 Corruption Perception Index, the same number as last year.

Scoring the lowest points were Somalia, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Sudan and Iraq.

The results showed that countries perceived most corrupt were also plagued with long standing conflicts which have torn apart their governance infrastructure.