People’s Experiences of Corruption: Implication of Business in South-East Asia

Corruption continues to be a pressing issue around the world, contributing to growing inequality and an erosion of democracy and public trust in governments. It is often regarded as a public sector issue, where government officials and civil servants abuse their entrusted power for personal gain. However, there is a strong link between corruption and the private sector that is important to acknowledge, especially within growing economies such as those in South-East Asia, where corruption could discourage legitimate foreign investment. As stipulated in the United Nations Convention against Corruption and evidenced many times in relevant literature, corruption is a key element in economic underperformance and a major obstacle to poverty reduction.