Guest fountainhall Posted April 13, 2011 Posted April 13, 2011 The demonstrations affecting the Arab nations have had little ostensible effect in Asia. But there have been small rumblings in China – quickly put down by the government – and more recently in India. As a result of a populist protest led by a 72-year old, the government has announced that it will finally create a new Citizen Ombudsman with sweeping powers to tackle corruption. Anna Hazare had started a “fast unto death” at the beginning of last week. Demonstrators in several cities soon showed their support, carrying flags, candles and banners condemning corruption and demanding that the draft of an earlier proposed bill be widened in its scope because it did not empower bodies to prosecute corruption scandals. By Friday, the government had caved in and agreed to all the demands. Hazare's campaign comes in the wake of a series of high-profile alleged scandals that have rocked Singh's administration and investor confidence in Asia's third largest economy . . . Last weekend, a former government minister in India was among a dozen defendants charged in a multi-billion-dollar telecom scandal. Andimuthu Raja, a former telecommunication minister, is accused of being involved in a scheme involving the underselling of cell phone licenses at the height of India's lucrative telecom boom. Police have questioned several high-profile executives in connection with the suspected below-price sale of radiowaves in 2008. Politicians, bureaucrats, and corporate officials linked to the probe have denied any wrongdoing. According to a government audit, the treasury lost as much as $31 billion from the 2008 sale of the second-generation wireless spectrum. The damning audit report came on the heels of allegations of massive fraud in sports and real estate. http://articles.cnn.com/2011-04-09/world/india.corruption_1_andimuthu-raja-ombudsman-hunger-strike?_s=PM:WORLD I can't imagine corruption in India is less rampant than in Thailand. But what chance is there of pressure from the streets resulting in Thailand’s government introducing similar new measures to tackle at least the most obvious examples of the country’s endemic corruption? Precious little, I reckon. Quote
Guest Posted April 13, 2011 Posted April 13, 2011 If Thai politicians really do buy their votes (as has been alleged), then they're going to have to make it back on all the bribes. What incentive is there to clean up the system? When politicians standing with anti-corruption policies start winning elections, perhaps there will be change. Quote
