Anti-Corruption and Governance Challenges in Southeast ASIA: Toward the ASEAN Political-Security Community Agenda

Abstract

Governance and corruption are closely interlinked. There is a reciprocal relationship between corruption and governance. The World Bank underlines that corruption undermines good governance, and bad governance produces corruption. Corruption and governance issues have become a serious concern in Southeast Asia countries. Conditions of such massive corruption in some countries in ASEAN make the issue of corruption in this region always wrapped around the development process which is carried out. The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score in most of the ASEAN member countries are relatively poor, except Singapore and Brunei. Corruption has become viral in every country that can influences bad governance system and human development index is not good. This paper outlines the issues of corruption and governance as a working agenda of ASEAN towards APSC 2015. It is important to have strategic steps in fighting corruption and achieving good governance that must be taken by each ASEAN member by imitating on best strategies undertaken by neighboring countries. The roles of ASEAN as a cooperation organization in the ASEAN region should be able to be a bridge to the creation of the ASEAN region free from corruption through promote strengthening of anti-corruption institution.