Transparency International released its 2022 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) report on Tuesday, in which Malaysia dropped in score to 47 out of 100. This year marked the third year of decline for the country, after reaching a high of 53 in 2019. Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim has pledged to reverse the declining trend, and said he would not compromise on any form of corruption. How closely does the government’s rhetoric match its actual actions, and what should be the primary focus in tackling corruption? Dr. Muhammad Mohan, President of TI-Malaysia assesses Malaysia's performance and what needs to be done to arrest the CPI decline.

Image credit: T. Schneider