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Corruption in Asia

Corruption in Asia
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Corruption in Asia. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Protesters wearing masks depicting the faces of Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte and President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr march during a rally to mark the International Human Rights Day in Manila on December 10. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Corruption, floods and clan wars rock Philippines in 2025

Deepening political feuds, ex-president Duterte’s ICC arrest and the South China Sea dispute have reshaped the Philippine landscape.

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Najib Razak

Video | Disgraced ex-Malaysian PM Najib guilty in final 1MDB case

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Najib sentenced to 15 years in jail for abuse of power in 1MDB saga

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Malaysia

With 1MDB verdict due, will Malaysia’s Najib have to ‘prepare for the worst’?

The High Court will rule on abuse of power and money laundering charges, with Najib facing the prospect of lengthy prison terms if found guilty.

Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak attends the verdict of his house arrest bid at Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex in Malaysia on Monday. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

Not for cars: Philippine fugitive accused of building ‘cash basement’

Zaldy Co, who is on the run, has been accused of being involved in the flood-control corruption scandal.

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Malaysia

Najib’s children lament Malaysian court ruling – ‘we thought he was coming home’

The ex-prime minister has lost his case to have his imprisonment commuted to house arrest based on a supposed royal decree.

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Malaysia

Malaysian court blocks Najib’s bid for house arrest

Monday’s decision keeps the former prime minister behind bars as he awaits the outcome of the far larger 1MDB case on Friday.

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Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex on Monday. Photo: AP
The Philippines

Asian Angle | Greed and pork barrel politics fuel the Philippines’ fatal floods

Filipinos are paying the ultimate price for a system that favours corrupt lawmakers’ pet projects over scientifically sound flood control.

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The Philippines

Can UN anti-corruption pact bring Zaldy Co back to Philippines?

The former lawmaker, who is facing charges linked to the Philippines’ flood control scandal, is suspected to have fled to Portugal.

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Malaysia 1MDB scandal

Malaysia to get back US$30 million worth of fine art linked to 1MDB scandal

The 12 artworks, including pieces by Picasso and Matisse, were bought by a former lawyer for the state investment fund.

The works are being held by Christie’s and Sotheby’s auction houses in the United States. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

South Korean police raid Unification Church headquarters in bribery sweep

Police have named church leader Han Hak-ja as a suspect in the bribery of several high-profile politicians.

The Unification Church compound in Gapyeong, South Korea, is seen shrouded by fog in July. Photo: Yonhap/EPA
The Philippines

New corruption complaint against Philippine VP Duterte heightens political drama

The filing comes as a corruption crisis grows, setting up a tough legal fight that could threaten Duterte’s potential 2028 presidential bid.

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Malaysia

Najib’s wife cleared as Malaysia drops money laundering, tax evasion appeal

The prosecution said it could not definitively prove that Rosmah Mansor committed the offences.

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The Philippines

‘They’ll go to jail’: Philippines to tear down ‘syndicate’ siphoning billions

A cabinet official has pledged to reform the Department of Public Works and Highways by ‘injecting new blood, removing the bad eggs’.

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Protesters carry an effigy of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr during an anti-corruption rally in Manila last month. Photo: AFP
South Korea

Shaman rumours resurface as South Korea returns to Blue House

After Yoon Suk-yeol wasted millions on a move critics linked to fortune-tellers, the presidential office is returning to its historic home.

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People visit the Blue House in Seoul in 2022. Photo: AP
The Philippines

Philippines ‘flood control queen’ faces arrest over corruption scandal

Prosecutors accuse Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya of pocketing millions for a government-funded flood control project that was never built.

Nepal

Nepal charges Chinese contractor with corruption over airport deal

A watchdog alleges the company colluded with ex-ministers to inflate costs and siphon off US$74 million from the Pokhara airport project.

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Bangladesh

Bangladesh mass grave from 2024 uprising exhumed with UN support

The UN says up to 1,400 people were killed in the crackdowns, forming the basis for the former prime minister’s conviction for crimes against humanity.

Family members of Sohel Rana, who disappeared during Bangladesh’s July mass uprising, react as they stand outside the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Dhaka on Sunday. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

6 cyclones, 5 weeks: Philippines can’t escape its endless cycle of disaster

Corruption, complacency and climate chaos conspire to turn the Philippines’ natural hazards into man-made tragedies.

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Malaysia

Anwar’s ex-aide to stand trial on corruption charges linked to Sabah businessman

The aide is accused of receiving cash and gifts as inducement to help the businessman secure mineral exploration projects.

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The Philippines

Philippines’ first family says financial scrutiny welcome amid graft allegations

A spokesperson for the president said his family was open to lifestyle checks after questions emerged over funds sent to his son’s district.

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr arrives at Malacanang Palace in Manila after his inauguration on June 30, 2022, accompanied by his wife Louise and his son, Congressman Sandro Marcos. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Why the Philippines’ anti-flood control corruption movement could be receding

Analysts warn the government’s anti-corruption drive could stall if public mobilisation continues to thin.

A protester holds a chain linked to an effigy of a crocodile, which represents corrupt officials, during anti-corruption rally along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, or EDSA, in Quezon City on Sunday. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Malaysia’s Anwar vows ‘no protection’ for close aides in corruption probes

The prime minister has been accused of launching investigations targeting his political rivals while going soft on scandals closer to home.

Malaysia

‘Unconstitutional’: Mahathir reports PM Anwar to police over Trump trade deal

Ex-PM claims the deal lacks constitutional approval and undermines bumiputra privileges, which benefit ethnic Malays and indigenous groups.

Malaysia

Why Anwar faces uphill task to win back voters after Sabah election trouncing

Sabah voters don’t trust Anwar, and this will complicate his plan for the next general election, analysts say.

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at the Asean-New Zealand summit in Kuala Lumpur in October. Photo: Pool via Reuters
Bangladesh

UK MP Tulip Siddiq, aunt Sheikh Hasina sentenced to jail in Bangladesh land case

The former Bangladeshi prime minister, her niece and sister were convicted for illegally obtaining land in a government project.

Tulip Siddiq (left) stands beside her aunt, former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in 2013. Photo: AP
South Korea

Unification Church leader denies knowing about gifts for Kim Keon-hee

South Korean prosecutors reject the claim, saying Han Hak-ja is an ‘absolute power holder’ and no funds can be used without her approval.

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The Philippines

17,000 police deployed as protests erupt in Philippines over flood control scam

‘Put them in jail now,’ protesters chant even as Marcos promises more arrests to come from investigations into the scandal.

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