https://www.scmp.com/rss/324411/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia on Saturday appointed a former judge as its new anti-corruption chief in an unprecedented move, as the government seeks to calm months of political turbulence over alleged misconduct linked to the watchdog’s outgoing head. Allies and opponents have hit out against Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since February following reports claiming that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) boss Azam Baki was involved in a share ownership scandal and the agency’s officers were allegedly working... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351404/malaysia-gets-new-anti-corruption-chief-protests-mount-against-outgoing-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351404/malaysia-gets-new-anti-corruption-chief-protests-mount-against-outgoing-head?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:51:51 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysia’s king said he would select a new anti-corruption chief, the first official confirmation that current head Azam Baki’s term will not be renewed when it ends next month. “I will determine who is the best candidate to lead the MACC from now on,” Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor, the current monarch, said in a social media post on Thursday, referring to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. He added that “there is no need for any party to politicise the matter”. Representatives for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351092/malaysias-king-pick-best-candidate-head-anti-corruption-agency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351092/malaysias-king-pick-best-candidate-head-anti-corruption-agency?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 04:58:43 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nepal’s home minister stepped down on Wednesday over growing criticism of his finances after less than a month in office he won on an anti-corruption platform. Sudan Gurung, a key figure in the Gen-Z protests last September that toppled Nepal’s previous government, said he was stepping down to ensure a “fair investigation”. “I have resigned from the position of Home Minister with effect from today,” the 38-year-old posted on his social media accounts. “For me, morality is greater than a position... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351038/nepal-minister-quits-amid-financial-scrutiny-after-just-weeks-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351038/nepal-minister-quits-amid-financial-scrutiny-after-just-weeks-office?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:13:34 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thousands ⁠of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed around 1,000 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island ‌on Sunday, the fire department said. Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at around 1.32am, the district’s fire and rescue chief Jimmy Lagung said in a statement. “Strong winds and ⁠the close proximity of the houses caused the fire to ‌spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open ‌water... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350629/blaze-malaysias-sabah-destroys-1000-homes-displaces-over-9000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350629/blaze-malaysias-sabah-destroys-1000-homes-displaces-over-9000?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:59:56 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The arrest of fugitive former congressman Zaldy Co has revived a long-stalled Philippine corruption investigation and sharpened political pressure on President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whom the wanted lawmaker has accused of personally benefiting from a multibillion-peso kickback scheme tied to flood control projects. Observers called Co’s arrest a “notable step towards accountability” in a case that had stalled after the collapse of the commission set up to investigate it. Co resigned from the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350513/arrest-philippine-ex-lawmaker-zaldy-co-missing-puzzle-piece-flood-control-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3350513/arrest-philippine-ex-lawmaker-zaldy-co-missing-puzzle-piece-flood-control-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said on Thursday night that a key suspect in a corruption scandal that has sparked public outrage in the Philippines has been arrested in the Czech Republic and that efforts were under way to repatriate the former lawmaker. Zaldy Co, who resigned from the House of Representatives in September after being implicated in financial anomalies involving flood control projects, was detained by authorities in Prague after crossing into the Central European... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350373/philippines-corruption-scandal-suspect-zaldy-co-arrested-prague-marcos-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350373/philippines-corruption-scandal-suspect-zaldy-co-arrested-prague-marcos-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:37:34 +0000 The Star The Star Jewellery and cash worth hundreds of millions of ringgit were found in overfilled luggage bags stored in a luxury condominium in Kuala Lumpur during a raid linked to the 1Malaysia Develop­ment Bhd (1MDB) investigation, the High Court heard. The police had found 71 ­luggage bags, a plastic box and more than 200 boxes during the operation at Pavilion Residences on May 17, 2018. Former Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Amar Singh Ishar Singh testified that the sheer amount... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350106/malaysian-police-recall-overflowing-cash-gems-1mdb-raid-najib-linked-condo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350106/malaysian-police-recall-overflowing-cash-gems-1mdb-raid-najib-linked-condo?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:10:25 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan A Malaysian court has granted an application by anti-corruption officials to issue an arrest warrant for two sons of former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, after they failed to comply with repeated requests to turn up for questioning over their family’s wealth. Daim and his clan have been at the centre of a years-long probe into alleged abuse of power and corruption by the country’s elites, who critics have accused of colluding with two-time prime minister Mahathir Mohamad to enrich themselves... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349326/malaysian-corruption-watchdog-secures-arrest-warrant-tycoon-daims-sons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3349326/malaysian-corruption-watchdog-secures-arrest-warrant-tycoon-daims-sons?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:16:14 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg The Philippine call centre industry is a juggernaut, employing over a million and generating billions in revenue. Its workers’ voices are a familiar sound for callers from around the world, the nation’s deep pool of English speakers underpinning the country’s rise into a global hub for customer service outsourcing. Artificial intelligence is shaping up to be a huge disruptive force but another, more insidious problem is emerging – an education system that is producing graduates who were never... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349321/could-philippines-declining-literacy-affect-its-status-help-desk-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349321/could-philippines-declining-literacy-affect-its-status-help-desk-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:29:06 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A daughter of Malaysia’s late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin was charged in a Kuala Lumpur court on Tuesday over allegations that she failed to declare shareholdings to anti-corruption investigators, in the latest escalation of a long-running probe into the wealth of one of the country’s most prominent political families. The case against Asnida Abdul Daim is part of the investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into assets linked to her father, a two-time finance... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349239/malaysias-op-godfather-probe-reaches-daims-daughter-asnida-pleads-not-guilty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349239/malaysias-op-godfather-probe-reaches-daims-daughter-asnida-pleads-not-guilty?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:10:16 +0000 The Star The Star A daughter of Malaysia’s late finance minister Daim Zainuddin will be charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Tuesday. Lawyer Yu Ying Ying confirmed that Asnida Daim, who is in her 60s, will be charged under Section 36(2) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. That section relates to the offence of failing to comply with a written notice from the MACC to declare assets. Court records indicate the case will be mentioned before Judge Rosli Ahmad at 9am. In a separate... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349190/malaysia-daims-daughter-be-charged-kuala-lumpur-court-amid-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349190/malaysia-daims-daughter-be-charged-kuala-lumpur-court-amid-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:12:00 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s government has said it “strongly denies” a claim made in a news report that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sought to delay the release of findings from an investigation into the country’s anti-corruption chief, and will take legal action over the allegation. The latest claim has sharpened scrutiny of Anwar, whose reformist image and anti-corruption credentials have come under strain amid a series of allegations involving the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and its chief... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348661/malaysia-denies-anwar-delayed-disclosure-probe-macc-chief-threatens-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348661/malaysia-denies-anwar-delayed-disclosure-probe-macc-chief-threatens-legal-action?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 08:45:54 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Wednesday offered to pay for the flight of a London-based key witness to help with its investigation into possible corruption linked to a US$250 million deal signed last year between the government and British chip design firm Arm Holdings. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has for the past month been on the hunt for former government aide James Chai, whom it said was a key witness in its probe on possible abuse of power, fraud and governance... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348631/malaysian-anti-corruption-body-offers-pay-key-witness-flight-chips-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348631/malaysian-anti-corruption-body-offers-pay-key-witness-flight-chips-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:45:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters A Malaysian court on Tuesday ⁠ordered jailed former ⁠prime minister Najib Razak ⁠to pay US$1.3 billion to a former unit of scandal-tainted state fund 1MDB, state media reported. The Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that Najib was liable for losses incurred by ‌SRC International, a former subsidiary of sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, state news agency Bernama reported. High Court judge Ahmad Fairuz Zainol Abidin ruled that Najib breached his fiduciary duties, abused his position... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348554/malaysia-court-orders-ex-pm-najib-pay-us13-billion-1mdb-unit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348554/malaysia-court-orders-ex-pm-najib-pay-us13-billion-1mdb-unit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:20:34 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Mongolia’s ruling party selected a new candidate for prime minister on Sunday after the last head of government, Zandanshatar Gombojav, resigned after only nine months on the job. Uchral Nyam-Osor, the current party chairman who is serving as speaker of the Parliament, was nominated at a meeting of the Mongolian People’s Party, according to state news agency Montsame. Uchral first joined the party in 2009, and is seen as a compromise candidate amid different party factions. Zandanshatar’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348300/mongolian-parliament-selects-new-prime-minister-amid-corruption-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3348300/mongolian-parliament-selects-new-prime-minister-amid-corruption-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:35:13 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Even as the Philippines thrashes through the throes of an energy crisis born of the Iran war, Filipinos themselves largely appear uninterested in blaming the man who started it. Instead of Donald Trump, public ire has instead coalesced around Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and his administration for failing to quell soaring prices. Fuel costs have rocketed across the archipelago since the United States and Israel first struck Iran on February 28, following the near-total closure of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348025/trump-stays-popular-philippines-despite-iran-war-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:32:13 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof A Malaysian minister on Wednesday denied he was the unnamed politician at the centre of fresh allegations in the country’s so-called corporate mafia controversy, amid wide speculation over the individual’s identity. Ramanan Ramakrishnan, human resource minister, and vice-president of the ruling People’s Justice Party (PKR), rejected claims he had taken 9.5 million ringgit (US$2.4 million) in exchange for “helping resolve” the alleged matter. The controversy gained traction following news reports... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347884/minister-caught-malaysias-corporate-mafia-saga-denies-us24-million-bribe-claim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347884/minister-caught-malaysias-corporate-mafia-saga-denies-us24-million-bribe-claim?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:15:52 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Several Malaysian civil society groups on Monday accused Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government of using a harsh criminal law provision to intimidate critics after police questioned activists, academics and political researchers over an alleged plot to topple the government. The backlash follows an announcement in late February that police were investigating allegations of a conspiracy to “topple the government and sabotage national stability” involving “a local influential figure” and an... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346706/malaysias-government-accused-using-law-silence-critics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346706/malaysias-government-accused-using-law-silence-critics?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 04:52:23 +0000 The Star The Star Businessman Albert Tei has released a photo purportedly showing a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer brandishing a firearm to back his claims that he had a gun pointed at him during a raid on his home last November. Speaking to reporters at the court complex in Kuala Lumpur on Friday, Tei said the photo was sent to him on Monday via an unknown number. “I admit, the photo is not very clear but I believe it was taken from an MACC officer’s body camera,” he said. “What is the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346465/malaysian-businessman-releases-photo-armed-officer-prove-he-was-held-gunpoint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346465/malaysian-businessman-releases-photo-armed-officer-prove-he-was-held-gunpoint?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 06:03:53 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Former Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s corruption trial opened in Kuala Lumpur on Monday with a courtroom fight over the admissibility of TikTok videos, which prosecutors hope will link millions of ringgit in illicit funds to his Bersatu party. Among the most keenly observed cases involving Malaysia’s political elite in years, the proceedings come three years after Muhyiddin was first charged in connection with projects under his administration’s Covid-19 recovery efforts. Malaysian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346110/muhyiddins-corruption-trial-opens-fight-over-tiktok-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3346110/muhyiddins-corruption-trial-opens-fight-over-tiktok-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:49:38 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran An investigation into allegedly corrupt flood-control projects worth billions of pesos is beginning to ripple through the Philippines’ public finances, slowing infrastructure spending and adding uncertainty to the government’s investment-driven growth strategy. The budget deficit widened 4.68 per cent to 1.58 trillion pesos (US$26.5 billion) in 2025, Treasury Bureau data showed, surpassing 2024’s record of 1.51 trillion pesos. Despite slowing disbursements amid tighter scrutiny of public works... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346029/philippines-budget-deficit-hits-record-us265-billion-corruption-probe-bites?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3346029/philippines-budget-deficit-hits-record-us265-billion-corruption-probe-bites?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing a fresh political test after the family of late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin sued his government over claims they were involved in a plot to topple the administration. The legal challenge is turning what began as a police investigation into a wider debate over whether Anwar’s reformist government is applying its principles consistently or selectively. Critics say the controversy risks complicating one of Anwar’s central claims since... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345982/malaysia-anwars-reformist-image-risk-daim-family-sues-over-zionist-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345982/malaysia-anwars-reformist-image-risk-daim-family-sues-over-zionist-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:29:58 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Nepali political party led by an ex-rapper is set for a landslide victory in the country’s first parliamentary election since Gen Z protests ousted the old leadership that has ruled the Himalayan nation for decades. The Rastriya Swatantra, or the National Independent Party (RSP), formed only four years ago, had already won 117 of 165 directly elected seats and led in eight other constituencies in the results published on Sunday morning by Nepal’s Election Commission. Other political parties... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3345883/nepali-ex-rapper-will-form-government-after-landslide-election-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3345883/nepali-ex-rapper-will-form-government-after-landslide-election-win?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 11:00:26 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari A 35-year-old rapper and engineer who entered politics just four years ago has beaten a former prime minister in Nepal’s crucial parliamentary election, in a contest widely seen as a referendum on a generational shift in leadership after last year’s youth uprising. Balendra Shah – the former Kathmandu mayor widely known as Balen – surged ahead of 74-year-old communist leader K.P. Sharma Oli in a race for a seat in Nepal’s House of Representatives in the eastern district of Jhapa, election... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345808/nepal-election-rapper-turned-politician-balen-shah-poised-become-next-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345808/nepal-election-rapper-turned-politician-balen-shah-poised-become-next-prime-minister?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 09:18:21 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s anti-corruption investigation into a flagship chip-design deal with Britain’s Arm Holdings took a more combustible turn on Thursday after a former government aide declared: “I am not Jho Low 2.0.” The remark – invoking the fugitive financier at the centre of Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal – came as the country’s anti-corruption agency pushed back against his claims, while allies of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim warned the investigation risked appearing heavy-handed. The dispute has dragged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345514/malaysias-arm-chip-deal-probe-turns-political-ex-aide-says-i-am-not-jho-low-20?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345514/malaysias-arm-chip-deal-probe-turns-political-ex-aide-says-i-am-not-jho-low-20?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 04:34:15 +0000 Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Joseph Sipalan,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia’s government said on Friday it would consider calls for a royal commission to investigate alleged abuses of power within the country’s anti-corruption agency, as pressure grew for the immediate removal of its chief commissioner. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has faced growing pressure from critics and allies alike since news reports earlier this month alleged that Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki had bought corporate shares exceeding the limit permitted for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344908/malaysia-considers-high-powered-commission-probe-anti-corruption-agency-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344908/malaysia-considers-high-powered-commission-probe-anti-corruption-agency-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:24:08 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Malaysia’s anti-corruption agency on Friday asked the public for help in locating the four children of the late tycoon and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, as it widened an investigation into the family’s wealth. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission said it was seeking information on the whereabouts of Asnida Abdul Daim, 63, Md Wira Dani Abdul Daim, 46, Muhammed Amir Zainuddin Daim, 29 and Muhammed Amin Zainuddin Daim, 26, “to assist in investigations”. The statement, however, did not... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344865/malaysians-asked-help-find-daims-4-children-corruption-probe-widens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3344865/malaysians-asked-help-find-daims-4-children-corruption-probe-widens?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:52:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters An Indonesian court has jailed nine people in a major corruption case involving subsidiaries of state energy firm Pertamina, including two former chief executives of its units, which prosecutors say caused US$17 billion in state losses. The case, which centres on alleged illegal leasing of a fuel terminal and illegal imports of crude oil, among other offences, is one of the biggest launched under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto, who has vowed to eradicate corruption. The nine... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344808/pertamina-corruption-trial-9-jailed-indonesia-over-us17-billion-state-loss?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344808/pertamina-corruption-trial-9-jailed-indonesia-over-us17-billion-state-loss?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 03:23:18 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief Azam Baki was summoned by a special committee set up to probe his stock ownership to explain the matter on Thursday, as authorities respond to calls for him to be investigated. The committee is examining the compliance and regularity of Azam’s share ownership based on the initial report it received, Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, chief secretary to the government, said in a statement on Sunday. It is still in the process of evaluating all evidence obtained and will call... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344265/malaysia-summons-anti-corruption-chief-stock-ownership-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344265/malaysia-summons-anti-corruption-chief-stock-ownership-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:18:01 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The Philippines has fallen in a global corruption perception ranking, as allegations of financial wrongdoings and court cases surrounding a multibillion-peso flood-control programme have deepened doubts about its governance and dented investor confidence. Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International said the Philippines ranked 120th out of 182 countries and territories in its 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, down six places from the previous year. The country received a score of 32 on a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344179/views-corruption-philippines-worsen-grease-money-dents-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344179/views-corruption-philippines-worsen-grease-money-dents-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof In Malaysia, one question about corruption keeps being asked by the public no matter who is in power: who investigates the investigators? Fresh allegations over the investments of the country’s top anti-corruption official have brought that conundrum back into sharp focus, with critics warning that trust in key institutions – and in Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s reform promises – is on the line. The controversy centres on Azam Baki, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343734/who-watches-malaysias-watchdog-controversy-over-anti-corruption-chief-strains-reform-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343734/who-watches-malaysias-watchdog-controversy-over-anti-corruption-chief-strains-reform-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:50:43 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Nepalese candidates launched their campaigns on Monday for next month’s parliamentary election, the first since deadly anti-corruption protests toppled the previous government last year. “This election will draw the future of the country,” Sushila Karki, who is serving as interim prime minister until the March 5 vote, said ahead of the launch. The youth-led protests were triggered by a brief social media ban but were fuelled by anger at economic stagnation and an ageing elite seen as out of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343687/campaigning-starts-nepals-first-election-deadly-anti-corruption-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343687/campaigning-starts-nepals-first-election-deadly-anti-corruption-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 04:16:56 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Hundreds of black-clad Malaysians gathered in the capital on Sunday, calling for the arrest of anti-corruption chief Azam Baki after reports alleged he had improper shareholdings and that abuse of power took place in the commission he leads. The crowd of mainly young people waved black flags and placards as they assembled outside a shopping centre in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, with a major road temporarily shut to accommodate the demonstration. “We are gathering because the dignity of the law... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343661/hundreds-malaysians-rally-demand-arrest-anti-corruption-head-enough-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343661/hundreds-malaysians-rally-demand-arrest-anti-corruption-head-enough-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:55:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh’s prime minister-in-waiting Tarique Rahman on Saturday dedicated his landslide election win to those who “sacrificed for democracy”, calling for unity after the first polls since a deadly 2024 uprising. Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Rahman, 60, the scion of one of the most powerful political dynasties, is set to lead the South Asian nation of 170 million people after sweeping elections on Thursday. “This victory belongs to Bangladesh, belongs to democracy,” he said, in his... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343587/bangladesh-pm-be-celebrates-landslide-win-thanks-protesters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343587/bangladesh-pm-be-celebrates-landslide-win-thanks-protesters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 11:21:29 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Malaysia has formed a special committee to investigate allegations that the head of the country’s anti-corruption agency owned shares beyond the limits for public officials, as calls mount for him to step aside after a damaging wave of accusations. The controversy erupted after Bloomberg news agency, citing corporate filings, alleged on Tuesday that Azam Baki, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), held shares in an investment holding company that far exceeded the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343510/malaysia-orders-probe-anti-corruption-chief-calls-resignation-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343510/malaysia-orders-probe-anti-corruption-chief-calls-resignation-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:53:03 +0000 Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Alan Robles,Raissa Robles Public anger in the Philippines over the multibillion-peso flood-control scandal has reopened a debate that has simmered for years: will this finally force politicians to tackle a tax system many Filipinos see as unfair, inefficient and tilted against them? A Senate inquiry late last year heard that politicians and local officials had worked with contractors to siphon off at least 200 billion pesos (US$3.5 billion) earmarked for flood-control projects across the country, with some structures... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343490/anger-over-philippine-flood-fund-theft-fuels-debate-unfair-tax-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343490/anger-over-philippine-flood-fund-theft-fuels-debate-unfair-tax-system?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 09:15:48 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has brushed aside calls to suspend or remove Malaysia’s anti-corruption chief, asking critics to “read his explanation”, after fresh reports about his shareholdings reignited public anger against the official. Citing corporate filings, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that Azam Baki, chief commissioner of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), was a key shareholder in an investment holding company. Azam told local media on Wednesday that the report was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343303/malaysias-anwar-defends-anti-corruption-chief-over-new-share-row-read-his-explanation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343303/malaysias-anwar-defends-anti-corruption-chief-over-new-share-row-read-his-explanation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 07:54:53 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang Chinese authorities say their investigation of a high-profile scandal at one of the country’s leading state-run museums has revealed systemic mismanagement and alleged corruption over decades that allowed national treasures to be funnelled into the private art market. The scandal broke in late December when reports alleged that Nanjing Museum in eastern Jiangsu province had secretly sold donated paintings, prompting an investigation that focused on a former director accused of mishandling the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343035/chinese-probe-nanjing-museum-scandal-alleges-historic-mismanagement-and-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343035/chinese-probe-nanjing-museum-scandal-alleges-historic-mismanagement-and-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Bangladesh’s election campaign entered its final day on Monday before this week’s vote, with rival parties invoking the 2024 uprising that ended the autocratic rule of Sheikh Hasina. Tens of thousands of flag-waving supporters attended a succession of rival rallies across the sprawling capital Dhaka, as parties sought to harness the legacy of the mass uprising and pitch competing visions of change for the country of 170 million in Thursday’s election. The South Asian nation will elect a 350-seat... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3342969/bangladeshs-political-parties-campaign-over-revolutions-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3342969/bangladeshs-political-parties-campaign-over-revolutions-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:32:47 +0000 Bloomberg,Agence France-Presse Bloomberg,Agence France-Presse More than three dozen former lawmakers of a pro-democracy party in Thailand face a lifetime ban from politics after the nation’s anti-corruption agency found them in breach of ethical standards over a failed bid to amend the royal insult law. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) said on Monday that 44 former lawmakers from the now-dissolved Move Forward Party had “failed to uphold and maintain the democratic system of government with the king as head of state” by submitting a petition... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342963/double-blow-losing-thai-reformist-party-44-members-face-lifetime-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342963/double-blow-losing-thai-reformist-party-44-members-face-lifetime-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:55:24 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Filipino actress and fashion influencer Heart Evangelista’s reappearance at Paris Fashion Week following scrutiny over her lavish lifestyle in previous months has drawn sharp criticism amid “unprecedented” public outrage linked to an unfolding corruption scandal plaguing the country. Public sentiment in the Philippines has been particularly negative against influencers such as Evangelista and other “nepo babies”, a term referring to flamboyant family members of wealthy politicians, officials and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3342588/outrage-philippines-socialite-heart-evangelista-nepo-babies-return-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3342588/outrage-philippines-socialite-heart-evangelista-nepo-babies-return-spotlight?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 05:30:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr may have dodged two impeachment complaints against him, but critics warn that many Filipinos remain sceptical of the move by lawmakers to quash his cases. The complaints were linked to an ongoing corruption controversy over phantom flood control projects, with Marcos accused of swindling taxpayers of billions of pesos. On Wednesday, the president hailed the dismissal of the cases by a congressional committee as a victory, urging the public: “Let’s move... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342549/philippine-activists-decry-failed-bid-impeach-marcos-not-verdict-innocence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342549/philippine-activists-decry-failed-bid-impeach-marcos-not-verdict-innocence?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:43:21 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Malaysia has announced an immediate and full ban on the importation of electronic waste, as the government vowed the country would not be a “dumping ground” for the world’s waste. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said in a statement late on Wednesday that all electronic waste, commonly known as e-waste, would be reclassified under the “absolute prohibition” category effective immediately. This removes the discretionary power previously given to the Department of Environment to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342472/malaysia-bans-e-waste-imports-not-worlds-dumping-ground?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342472/malaysia-bans-e-waste-imports-not-worlds-dumping-ground?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 05:48:54 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof The sultan of Pahang in Malaysia has urged the public to view royal pardons with “calmness of emotion” and not as “a political gift”, in what analysts describe as a pointed reminder that clemency is a constitutional process, amid a furore over a decree supposedly extended to ex-prime minister Najib Razak. According to Najib, the supplementary royal decree, or “addendum”, would allow him to serve the remainder of his reduced prison sentence at home. The Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed his bid... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342205/najibs-house-arrest-row-malaysian-sultans-comment-royal-pardons-stirs-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342205/najibs-house-arrest-row-malaysian-sultans-comment-royal-pardons-stirs-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:54:30 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Dual impeachment cases were filed on Monday against Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte, marking a historic first with the nation’s top two officials each facing twin complaints accusing them of betrayal of public trust. Observers told This Week in Asia that the political exercise, while risking economic collateral damage, could show how a political crisis could be tackled through “institutionalisation” using constitutional means, instead of military intervention. Former congressman Neri... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342147/philippines-faces-historic-dual-impeachments-marcos-duterte-political-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342147/philippines-faces-historic-dual-impeachments-marcos-duterte-political-crisis-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:54:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Interpol issued a red notice for the arrest of one of Indonesia’s biggest oil tycoons over a US$285 million corruption scandal, police said late on Sunday. Mohammad Riza Chalid, 66, nicknamed the “gasoline godfather”, is wanted in Indonesia for his alleged involvement in corruption at state-owned oil company Pertamina between 2018 and 2023, including for money laundering and manipulating a lease agreement. Untung Widyatmoko, secretary of Interpol’s Indonesia National Central Bureau, said a red... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342062/interpol-issues-red-notice-indonesian-oil-tycoon-us285-million-corruption-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342062/interpol-issues-red-notice-indonesian-oil-tycoon-us285-million-corruption-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 06:12:52 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has given Malaysia’s top enforcement officials a week to prove they are serious about stamping out corruption and smuggling, warning that those who feel they are unable to deliver should step aside. “My patience is wearing thin,” Anwar said, urging the officials to declare within seven days whether they were “not yet ready” to carry the responsibility entrusted to them. “If you don’t think you can do it, step aside so others can.” The warning, delivered in a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341648/malaysias-anwar-orders-officials-file-anti-corruption-report-within-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341648/malaysias-anwar-orders-officials-file-anti-corruption-report-within-week?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 06:38:47 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A South Korean court sentenced former first lady Kim Keon-hee to 20 months in prison for corruption on Wednesday but acquitted her of alleged stock manipulation and other charges. While the ruling marked the first time that both members of a presidential couple were convicted of crimes in South Korea, analysts described Kim’s lighter punishment as a “courtroom victory” after prosecutors sought a 15-year jail term, a 2 billion won (US$1.4 million) fine and 948 million won in forfeiture for the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341511/south-koreas-ex-first-lady-kim-keon-hee-gets-20-months-jail-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341511/south-koreas-ex-first-lady-kim-keon-hee-gets-20-months-jail-corruption?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 06:27:00 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The third wife of former Malaysian army chief Muhammad Hafizuddeain Jantan has been mocked on social media after arriving at court in a wheelchair to face money laundering charges linked to a military procurement scandal. Salwani Anuar, 27, was first seen in a wheelchair on Thursday at a special corruption high court in Kuala Lumpur, where she and her 58-year-old husband were each charged with four counts under Malaysia’s anti-money-laundering law. Though Salwani initially walked to the court... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3341266/malaysian-corruption-suspects-wheelchair-court-appearance-sparks-online-ridicule?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3341266/malaysian-corruption-suspects-wheelchair-court-appearance-sparks-online-ridicule?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:36:30 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles A 2024 letter signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s Executive Secretary Ralph Recto has become central to a renewed attempt to impeach the Philippine leader over allegations that billions of pesos meant for public health were diverted into infrastructure spending linked to politicians. Left-wing lawmakers and activists refiled an impeachment complaint against Marcos on Monday, accusing him of “betrayal of public trust” for allowing state health insurance funds to be channelled into flood... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341255/critics-philippines-marcos-step-impeachment-calls-cite-smoking-gun-letter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341255/critics-philippines-marcos-step-impeachment-calls-cite-smoking-gun-letter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 09:14:38 +0000