Vietnam holds record for bribery in Southeast Asia
The new report “People and Corruption 2017: Asia-Pacific” released by anti-graft organisation Transparency International comes to the conclusion that an estimated 900 million people across 16 surveyed countries and territories in Asia-Pacific had paid a bribe in the past year when trying to access basic public services such as education or healthcare.
Transparency International determined the regional bribery rates through a survey in which 22,000 people were asked about their experiences with corruption in their respective country and how often and whom they had to pay.
It turned out that bribery rates for countries vary considerably across the region – from 0.2 per cent in Japan to 69 per cent in India.
Southeast Asia – apart from Singapore – is particularly prone to bribery and the survey’s results for the region aren’t very flattering.
The worst country in Southeast Asia for corruption is Vietnam with a bribery rate of 65 per cent, followed by Thailand with 41 per cent, which, interestingly, ranks ahead of Cambodia and Myanmar with 40 per cent each. Bribery rates for Indonesia and Malaysia are comparably low, with 32 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively. The bribery rate for China is just 26 per cent, likely a result of harsh penalties for corruption and enforcement of the same.
“Many governments in Asia-Pacific fail to stop corruption; 900 million people are paying bribes,” the report notes.
Most of the people paying bribes do it to receive public services. Poorer people are disproportionately affected: 83 per cent of the lowest income group surveyed said they paid a bribe, the highest proportion of any income group.
Police top the list of public services most often demanding a bribe in the region, followed by officials who issue permits of various kinds, courts, public schools, utility provider and public hospitals.
Why is this important?
“Without proper law enforcement corruption thrives. Bribery is not a small crime, it takes food off the table, it prevents education, it impedes proper healthcare and ultimately it can kill,” the report concludes.
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The new report “People and Corruption 2017: Asia-Pacific” released by anti-graft organisation Transparency International comes to the conclusion that an estimated 900 million people across 16 surveyed countries and territories in Asia-Pacific had paid a bribe in the past year when trying to access basic public services such as education or healthcare. Transparency International determined the regional bribery rates through a survey in which 22,000 people were asked about their experiences with corruption in their respective country and how often and whom they had to pay. It turned out that bribery rates for countries vary considerably across the region –...
The new report “People and Corruption 2017: Asia-Pacific” released by anti-graft organisation Transparency International comes to the conclusion that an estimated 900 million people across 16 surveyed countries and territories in Asia-Pacific had paid a bribe in the past year when trying to access basic public services such as education or healthcare.
Transparency International determined the regional bribery rates through a survey in which 22,000 people were asked about their experiences with corruption in their respective country and how often and whom they had to pay.
It turned out that bribery rates for countries vary considerably across the region – from 0.2 per cent in Japan to 69 per cent in India.
Southeast Asia – apart from Singapore – is particularly prone to bribery and the survey’s results for the region aren’t very flattering.
The worst country in Southeast Asia for corruption is Vietnam with a bribery rate of 65 per cent, followed by Thailand with 41 per cent, which, interestingly, ranks ahead of Cambodia and Myanmar with 40 per cent each. Bribery rates for Indonesia and Malaysia are comparably low, with 32 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively. The bribery rate for China is just 26 per cent, likely a result of harsh penalties for corruption and enforcement of the same.
“Many governments in Asia-Pacific fail to stop corruption; 900 million people are paying bribes,” the report notes.
Most of the people paying bribes do it to receive public services. Poorer people are disproportionately affected: 83 per cent of the lowest income group surveyed said they paid a bribe, the highest proportion of any income group.
Police top the list of public services most often demanding a bribe in the region, followed by officials who issue permits of various kinds, courts, public schools, utility provider and public hospitals.
Why is this important?
“Without proper law enforcement corruption thrives. Bribery is not a small crime, it takes food off the table, it prevents education, it impedes proper healthcare and ultimately it can kill,” the report concludes.
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