Little or No Progress on Corruption?

According to Transparency International’s (“TI”) Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), New Zealand scored 87 out of 100 – the leading country in the fight against corruption in Asia-Pacific. New Zealand was followed by Singapore and Australia.

At the bottom of the index is North Korea (with a score of 14) followed by Afghanistan (16) and Cambodia (20). Malaysia with a score of 47 is a country to watch moving forward.

But why is there little progress? One reason is an overall weakening of democratic institutions and political rights, as it is in North Korea, Afghanistan and Cambodia.  Democratic principles and institutions have proved effective in combating corruption. Citizen participation and activist engagement push for necessary reforms in those countries that are set to improve.

  

Legal infrastructure, independent judiciary, enforcement of rules, prevention mechanism and engagement of citizens are all necessary ingredients for nations to improve under the CPI formulated by TI.

Reference:

Asia Pacific: little or no progress on anti-corruption, Transparency International