SINGAPORE - Indonesia and Thailand are perceived as Asia's most corrupt economies, with last year's cellar-dweller the Philippines making a marked improvement, an annual survey of foreign business executives showed Wednesday.
Singapore and Hong Kong retained their top two rankings as the region's least corrupt economies, although there are concerns about private-sector fraud, according to the survey by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), made available to AFP.
Despite the negative perception of Indonesia, PERC noted "there has been a real headway in fighting the problem" under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is seeking re-election in presidential polls in July.
Table of the corruption scores of 14 Asian economies as seen in a survey of more than 1,700 expatriate business executives by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC).
Australia and the United States were included in the survey for purposes of comparison.
On a scale of zero to 10, zero is the best possible score.
1. Singapore, 1.07
2. Hong Kong, 1.89
3. Australia, 2.40
4. United States, 2.89
5. Japan, 3.99
6. South Korea, 4.64
7. Macau, 5.84
8. China, 6.16
9. Taiwan, 6.47
10. Malaysia, 6.70
11. Philippines, 7.0
12. Vietnam, 7.11
13. India, 7.21
14. Cambodia, 7.25
15. Thailand, 7.63
16. Indonesia, 8.32
Source: Agence France-Presse
"To be sure, the absolute scores show corruption in the public and private sectors is still very high," PERC said.
"But our latest survey shows that residents in Indonesia are more favourably impressed with the determined way the KPK (anti-corruption commission) has been fighting corruption than any of the other countries graded poorly for corruption."
It said the major question its respondents are asking in Indonesia is whether the anti-corruption efforts can be sustained.
The March results are based on more than 1,700 responses from 14 Asian economies plus Australia and the United States, which were included for comparison purposes, PERC said.
In a grading system with zero as the best possible score and 10 the worst, Indonesia got 8.32.
Thailand was seen as the second most corrupt country with a grade of 7.63, but PERC said foreign investors were more concerned about political stability.
"Very few expatriate executives find that corruption makes the country a less attractive place to live and do business," it said.
Cambodia was seen as the third most corrupt country with a score of 7.25, followed by India with 7.21 and Vietnam with 7.11.
A grade greater than 7.0 indicates that a "serious" corruption problem exists, PERC said.
Perceived as Asia's most corrupt country in the 2008 survey, the Philippines had a score of 7.0 to rank sixth from the bottom this year.
It was followed by Malaysia with 6.70, Taiwan with 6.47, China with 6.16, Macau with 5.84, South Korea with 4.64 and Japan with 3.99.
A score between 4.0 and 7.0 indicates a "moderate" level of corruption, the Hong Kong-based consultancy said.
The Philippine customs and tax agencies, police and politicians have the meanest reputation for corruption in the country, the consultancy said.
But while "there is very little confidence in the government's seriousness about fighting the problem," PERC also said that "the actual level of corruption is not as bad as it is often portrayed."
Singapore again topped the survey as Asia's least corrupt country with a score of 1.07, followed by Hong Kong with 1.89.
Australia scored 2.40 to be in third place followed by the United States with 2.89.
On regional financial centres Singapore and Hong Kong, PERC said "it is possible that the pressures of the recession will result in an increase in corruption in the private sector this year."
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