Asia's Most Corrupt Nations::India is fourth

6. Philippines

Philippines, with a score of 7.0, is the 6th most corrupt nation in Asia. It has seen huge corruption cases like the nuclear power plant in Bataan province to the national broadband network scandal.
The World Bank called for tough reforms in the budget system to plug governance loopholes in the Philippines. The culture of corruption is long-standing.
Enforcement of anti-corruption laws is inconsistent, and the public perception of judicial, executive, and legislative corruption remains high, states a study by The Heritage Foundation.



Image: In Manila, Jose de Venecia, former speaker of the house of the lower house of Congress, holds up a book which gives details of a kickback scandal in a government deal with a Chinese company.

7. Malaysia

Malaysia, with a score of 6.70, is the 7th most corrupt nation in Asia. There have been several high-profile corruption cases leading to concerns about doing business in Malaysia.
Corruption is common among the country's political and business class. Bribery and other corrupt practices pose major problems for companies operating in Malaysia.
In the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 2007-2008, Malaysian business leaders rank corruption as the second most problematic factor for doing business in the country.



Image: Members of Malaysia's opposition parties hold a banner with a picture of Ahmad Said Hamdan, the chief commissioner of Anti-Corruption Commission, as they burn copies of documents they submitted to the commissioner, during a demonstration.

8. Taiwan

Taiwan scores 6.47 in the corruption index. In a high profile arrest recently, Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian was booked over money-laundering and corruption allegations.
Taiwan's modern financial sector has become more competitive, however corruption is present. The Taiwan's Ministry of Justice has finalised a feasibility study for an anti-corruption agency.
Taiwan has implemented laws, regulations, and penalties to combat corruption. The Corruption Punishment Statute and the criminal code contain specific penalties for corrupt activities, says the Heritage Foundation study.



Image: Former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian leaves for the Taipei high court.

9. China

China scored 6.16 on the corruption index, which makes it the 9th most corrupt Asian country. In China, corruption limits foreign direct investment and affects banking, finance, government procurement, and construction most severely, and there is a lack of independent investigative bodies and courts, according to the study by the Heritage Foundation.
Many companies face facilitation payments to get things done. The sectors most affected by corruption are banking, financial services, public procurement and the construction sector. The Chinese government has been pushing a strong anti-corruption campaign.
In 2006, 97,260 Communist Party of China members and civil servants were prosecuted for bribery and misappropriation of public funds.



Image: Students pile up sandbags after water supply pipes burst at a college in Baoji, Shaanxi province in 2008. Corruption has been blamed for the burst water pipes.

10. Macau

Macau's economy is based largely on tourism. Corruption is perceived as significant here with a score of 5.84. Macau is the 10th most corrupt Asian nation.
The Commission Against Corruption has powers of arrest and detention. Its budget and manpower have increased, and a public outreach campaign has led to a significant increase in the number of complaints handled, according to a study by The Heritage Foundation.



Image: A man, with his face painted in black as Chinese judge 'Bao Gong', takes part at a protest in Macau.

Source:Rediff