NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan addresses the conference (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The National Assembly Standing Committee convened a conference of full-time NA deputies on September 6 to discuss the draft revised law on fighting corruption and draft adjustments to the Law on Higher Education. In opening the conference, NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan said the debate of bills by full-time NA deputies before submitting the bills to NA sessions helps enhance the quality of draft laws, especially those deal with complicated issues and contain highly technical and specialized contents. The draft revised anti-corruption law has been discussed at two NA sessions and is scheduled to be approved at the sixth session, in order to institutionalize the Party’s resolution on preventing and combating corruption, rectify the limitations and shortcomings of the existing law, thus addressing newly arising problems in the anti-corruption fight and requirements of … [Read more...] about Full-time NA deputies meet to discuss bills on anti-corruption, higher education
Corruption
Former president Kirchner appears in Argentine court over corruption
BUENOS AIRES — Former president Cristina Kirchner appeared in court on Monday for the second time in relation to a corruption case that has rocked Argentina’s political and business elites. Two weeks after the Senate voted to partially lift senator Kirchner’s congressional immunity so that investigators could search her three homes for evidence linking her to the so-called notebooks corruption case, she was back before Claudio Bonadio, the judge leading the corruption investigation. She was questioned for half an hour on Monday morning, having also been interviewed last month. Kirchner submitted a letter to the judge reiterating her "categorical and strict denial" that she "committed any crime" or was involved in "any illicit activity." The 65-year-old, president from 2007 to 2015 after succeeding her late husband Nestor, is suspected of having accepted millions of dollars in bribes from businessmen in exchange for public works contracts. More than a dozen … [Read more...] about Former president Kirchner appears in Argentine court over corruption
Malaysian Finance Minister acquitted of corruption
Malaysian Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng (Photo: VNA) The High Court of George Town city of Malaysia’s Penang state has acquitted Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng and dropped the charges against him and businesswoman Phang Li Koon. The accused were released immediately and will not be deposed again for the case. Lim was accused of corruption as he used his former position as chief minister of Penang to approve the application for conversion of agricultural land to a public housing zone and purchased a bungalow below market value from Phang Li Koon. He was summoned to court often as chief minister of Penang, especially prior to Malaysia’s general election in May. He is a member of the Democratic Action Party, part of the ruling coalition Pakatan Harapan. The Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) said it was shocked that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) withdrew the case against the minister, stressing that the decision to retract the case was by the AGC … [Read more...] about Malaysian Finance Minister acquitted of corruption
ASEAN businesses boost anti-corruption efforts
Singapore hosts the ASEAN Responsible Business Forum (Source: Inspreneur) Singapore (VNA) – The top listed ASEAN companies have been improving their anti-corruption activities over the past two years, according to the Study on Corporate Disclosure on Business Integrity in ASEAN, which was announced at the ASEAN Responsible Business Forum (ARBF) in Singapore on August 27-28. The study, conducted by the ASEAN CSR Network (ACN) and National University of Singapore (NUS), assesses public disclosure practices on business integrity and anti-corruption programmes within the 50 largest companies in five ASEAN countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. The listed companies in all five countries achieved an average level of 56 percent in sharing anti-corruption practices, up 11 percent since 2016. Thailand maintained its lead with the highest proportion of 67 percent, up from 57 percent in 2016. Singapore came second with 55 percent, up 47 … [Read more...] about ASEAN businesses boost anti-corruption efforts
Colombians vote on tightening anti-corruption rules
BOGOTA — Colombians voted on Sunday in a referendum on hardening punishments for corrupt officials and business figures, after the congress proved reluctant to implement stricter anti-graft measures. Some 36 million voters were called to the polls amid an ongoing bribery scandal involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht that has engulfed the region. To be approved, the referendum requires one-third of voters to take part, potentially a problem in a country with historically low election turnout. The measure includes seven proposals, from cutting high-ranking officials’ salaries to imposing term limits to eliminating house arrest as a punishment. While mostly aimed at cracking down on abuses by public officials, the initiative would also make private contracts with the state more transparent and prohibit companies convicted of corrupt practices from dealing with the public sector. "This is a very important day, where we have voted to express our rejection against … [Read more...] about Colombians vote on tightening anti-corruption rules