Malaysia scored 47 out of 100 points in the Transparency International (TI) Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2022, down from 48 points the previous year.
According to the CPI report from the graft watchdog released today, the nation’s CPI ranking has also increased from 62 last year to 61.
To put things in perspective, Malaysia scored 51 points in 2020 and 53 points in 2019, indicating a decline in ranking over the previous three years.
On a scale of zero (highly corrupt) to 100, the CPI ranks 180 countries and territories based on their perceived levels of public sector corruption (very clean).
The 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) global financial scandal and the current administration’s alleged lack of commitment to battling corruption, according to TI, are the main causes of Malaysia’s declining score.
“Malaysia has been declining for years as it struggles with grand corruption in the wake of the monumental 1MDB and other scandals implicating multiple prime ministers and high-level officials.
“The current prime minister has promised to clean up but still appointed a deputy prime minister with serious corruption allegations as part of efforts to stabilise his unity government,” TI said in a statement.
This was in response to the appointment of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi as deputy prime minister, despite the fact that he is facing a slew of criminal charges for corruption and criminal breach of trust.
The lack of transparency in the Covid-19 stimulus package rollout, political patronage in the appointment of unqualified politicians to lead government-affiliated entities, and a general unwillingness to address cost overruns are some other factors that contributed to Malaysia’s lower score.
Meanwhile, Denmark scored the highest CPI score in the world with 90 points. In the Asia Pacific region, Singapore remains the highest with a score of 83 points.
Malaysia’s close neighbours, Indonesia and Thailand, scored 34 and 36 points respectively.
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