Asia's 10 Most Corrupt Countries

The impact of corruption continues to grow in the following Asian countries.

This year, corruption in most of the Asian countries isn't getting much better and, indeed, in some of the countries is intensifying--affecting virtually every aspect of life among people. International watchdog Political and Economic Risk Consultancy queried expatriates in 13 Asian countries and territories, and classified 10 countries as the most severely corrupt countries in Asia. 

In the poll, the higher the score, the less corrupt the country. Tied for No. 1 this year, with a “score” of 9.4 is Philippine, followed closely by Indonesia and Thailand. At the bottom, with a score of 1.20 is Singapore, which is also one of world's least corrupt countries.

Ranking of Corruption in Asian Countries:

1. Philippine (菲律宾) 9.40

Expatriate businessmen in Asia perceive the Philippines as the most corrupt country in the region. Nearly $2 billion dollars, or roughly 13 percent of the Philippines' annual budget, is lost to corruption in the country each year, according to the United Nations Development Program.

Its judicial system is believed to be ineffective at prosecuting and punishing individuals for corruption when abuses are uncovered. Local corruption monitors confirm that graft and bribery in the Philippines remain rampant. Corruption has penetrated every level of government, from the Bureau of Customs down to the traffic police officers who pull over motorists to demand bribes.

2. Indonesia (印尼) 8.03

Not only on Asia's top 10 list, Indonesia has also been categorized as the number 5 of the 96 most corrupt nations in the world. In the past two years, Indonesia has lost more than $2bn due to corruption. 

Former president Suharto, as the most corrupt political leader in the world in the past 20 years, has ruled this country with an iron fist for more than three decades. All the leading candidates have made fighting corruption a central theme of their campaigns but none have been clear on how they will solve the problem.

3. Thailand (泰国) 8.03

The Problem of corruption has been around for a long time in Thailand and its roots are deep in the culture - While huge amounts of money will be lost during the implementation of projects due to corruption, more will be lost while trying to fight against it and stop it.

Thailand’s ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has used very rough methods to control the media, which should be one of the most powerful watchdogs against corruption.

4. Vietnam (越南) 7.54

A country where its light-fingered bureaucrats cream off at least 20% of infrastructure spending. Corruption has been identified as one of the government's main challenges.Vietnamese is now battling corruption at all levels. 

5. India (印度) 6.67

Corruption happens because they have a system that allows such corruption to flourish. It's a country that as high as 62 percent of citizens think that the corruption is not a hearsay, but they in fact had the firsthand experience of paying bribe or “using a contact” to get a job done in a public office.

It is not anymore confined to politicians or the government machinery alone. It is prevalent amongst almost every section of the society at every level.

6. Korea (韩国) 6.30 

Since the financial crisis of 1997, Korea’s image was radically changed from a model developmental state with good governance to a country with rampant corruption and cronyism.

7. China (中国) 6.29

Corruption in China became increasingly serious during the early period of its social transition, resulting in severe economic losses and huge challenges to China’s government institution, as well as gradually becoming socially widespread.

Bribery has become the main accusation of corruption against China’s senior officials. it was found that the spouse (usually the wife) and the child played an important role in senior officials’ acts of corruption. Also, corruption cases have shown that having a “love affair” often coincided with the first steps of corruption.

8. Malaysia (马来西亚) 6.25

When we say money politics, people don’t get the real picture; it is nothing but bribery and corruption. It is buying votes to get elected to the leadership of UMNO, the dominant party in the Barisan National that rules the nation.

9. Taiwan (台湾) 6.23

Taiwan's problem lies in its own history. Taiwan was a notoriously violent and lawless frontier society. Since the government could not control its tough citizens, it granted them official titles to sustain the fiction of central control. Local government by gangsters, vastly preferable in the eyes of the Taiwanese to no government at all. Here we have local "muscle" being used to gain access to political and economic spoils which are used to legitimize community standing. 

10. Macau (澳门) 5.11

N/A

11. Japan (日本) 2.10

Asia's 3rd least corrupt country. Since the years of the bubble economy and the ensuing economic and political turmoil after the bubble burst, political corruption in Japan has become a major concern for the general public, the most recent case is Abe cabinet's scandals. 

12. Hong Kong (香港) 1.87

Asia's 2nd least corrupt country.

13. Singapore (新加坡) 1.20 

One of the least corrupt nations on the world. Known for strictly constraint of its government officials.

Other Asian Countries Have Severely Corruption Problems:

Myanmar

Corruption is perceived as widespread in this vicious dictatorship run with an iron hand by a strong-willed clique of military leaders, who persist in repression of civil society at every level. Illicit facilitation payments and informal fees are required to access even the most basic government services.

Cambodia

Corruption is pervasive through all levels of society in this country where two-thirds of the population earns less than $2 a month and one-third earns less than $1. No one has ever been prosecuted under a skeleton anti-corruption law. In February, international groups charged that judges in the trial of top former Khmer Rouge leaders had bought their positions. International aid donors including USAID under the Donor Coordination Group of Cambodia have warned of diversion of large chunks of the $500 million or more in international aid provided to this nation. The system of illicit "facilitation" payments by businesses and individuals may only intensify as oil found off the coast replaces donor aid, removing even today's rudimentary controls on use of public revenues.

Pakistan

Since the U.S. provides enormous aid to the country as a frontline power in the war against terrorism, the government seems to be taking active steps to combat corruption. But it's working in only a spotty fashion. Early this year, President Pervez Musharraf, suddenly suspended and detained the nation's chief justice, apparently because of his failure to sanction illegal detentions of terror suspects and overturning corrupt privatization of steel mills. Corruption remains rife in the judiciary, financial markets and civil service.

Resources: 

Philippines More Corrupt Than Indonesia, Poll Says - Bloomberg (Asian Intelligence Report) 

Report of Corruption in Asia - Transparency International

World's Most Corrupt Countries - Forbes