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SINGAPORE'S ANTI-CORRUPTION POLICY TO STRENGTHEN THE
ECONOMIC SECURITY OF THE STATE
Kasimov Vohidjon
at the Academy of Public polis and Administration
under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16714655
Annotation.
The article discusses the experience, features and
characteristics of Singapore's modern anti-corruption policy, which served to
strengthen the economic security of the state. The priority areas of Singapore's
economic policy, which ensured the achievement of high results in the
international arena, are also studied.
Key words
: corruption, anti-corruption policy, export, investment,
education, economic security.
Аннотация.
Мақолада Сингапурнинг давлатнинг иқтисодий
хавфсизлигини мустаҳкамлашга хизмат қилган замонавий коррупцияга
қарши сиёсатининг тажрибаси, хусусиятлари муҳокама қилинади.
Сингапур иқтисодий сиёсатининг халқаро майдонда юксак натижаларга
эришишни таъминлаган устувор йўналишлари ҳам қайд этилган.
Калит сўзлар
: коррупция, коррупцияга қарши сиёсат, экспорт,
сармоя, таълим, иқтисодий хавфсизлик.
Аннотация.
В статье рассматривается опыт, особенности и
характерные
черты
современной
антикоррупционной
политики
Сингапура, что послужило укреплению экономической безопасности
государства.
Также
исследованы
приоритетные
направления
экономической политики Сингапура, которые обеспечили достижение
высоких результатов на международной арене.
Ключевые слова:
коррупция, антикоррупционная политика, экспорт,
инвестиции, образования, экономическая безопасность.
At the present stage of improving public administration, the governments of
many countries are paying more and more attention to the introduction of
practical measures of anti-corruption policy in order to fully increase the
economic potential of the state. It is well known that the harmful consequences
of corruption completely impede the development of the state and society. Since
corruption "is an extremely negative phenomenon that distorts the development
of business, reduces the effectiveness of public administration, incentives for
investment, hinders the economic and political development of the country, and
creates social inequality"
[1].
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This, as a systemic phenomenon, is the source of the main dangers and
threats to the economic security of the state. It is worth noting the desire of
many states to form an effective legislative anti-corruption framework, which
really constructively contributed to ensuring the economic security of the state.
One of these states is Singapore, as an industrial country began a comprehensive
fight against corruption by raising the level of moral values of the population
and improving the professionalism of civil servants.
In order to strengthen the economic security of the state, Singapore's anti-
corruption policy provides for the implementation of three priority tasks: the
elimination of bribe takers and various elements of bribery at all levels of
government; elimination of bureaucratic procedures and the introduction of
strict legal regulation of the rights and obligations of state officials, monitoring
the observance of ethical norms of official behavior by civil servants.
In this context, it should be emphasized that the determining factor in the
country's anti-corruption policy is the salary of an official. After all, a decent
salary for an official instills decency and conscientiousness in interpersonal
relationships.
According to Lee Kuan Yew, political leaders should be paid the highest
salaries because they deserve it by being a decent and honest government. If
they are underpaid, they may be tempted to engage in corrupt activities [2].
This,
in turn, served as the basis for the development and practical implementation of
a comprehensive system of anti-corruption measures.
In addition, Singapore has a socially oriented anti-corruption law (1937)
"On Combating Corruption". And in 1960, the "Corruption Prevention Act" was
adopted, pursuing two goals: to neutralize the corruption articles of national
legislation and to toughen the punishment for bribery. Also, this Act provides for
the indexation and constant increase in the wages of civil servants;
improvement of procedures for interaction with citizens, enterprises and
organizations in order to eliminate bureaucratic delays; ensuring proper
transparency of control and supervision; rotation of personnel to avoid the
formation of stable corruption ties; ensuring a confidentiality regime to prevent
leakage of insider information.
According to scientific sources, as a priority measure in the fight against
corruption, the leadership of Singapore has identified the following:
- Creation of more modern anti-corruption legislation;
- Establishment of a special maximum independent state div to combat
corruption;
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- tougher criminal liability for corruption;
- establishment of high social guarantees for state and municipal
employees;
- the practice of constant and systematic rotation of managerial personnel;
- legislative guarantees for the safety of a person and his family members
who testified on the fact of corruption;
- wide coverage of anti-corruption activities in the media;
- conducting an independent examination of laws and regulations for
corruption consequences [3].
The foundation for the above measures was the established principles of
anti-corruption policy: the responsibility of both parties to corruption relations;
delimitation of public and private interests; equality of all before the law and
court; de-bureaucratization of the apparatus - minimization of documentary
circulation, personal example of the leader; career growth based on personal
merits and achievements, rather than family or friendly ties; decent salary;
controllability - unforeseen business checks, declaration of income, property and
debts, prosecutorial checks of bank, stock and settlement accounts suspected of
being involved in corrupt transactions.
Consequently, the positive tone of Singapore's anti-corruption policy is
reflected in the positions of international ratings. As a result of ongoing
pragmatic reforms, according to the Corruption Perceptions Index for 2022,
published by the international non-governmental organization Transparency
International, Singapore ranks 5
th
in the ranking and is among the states least
affected by corruption. According to the Global Data Country Risk Index, in 2020
Singapore was ranked 2
nd
in the world among the least risky countries for
investment, due to political stability, low levels of corruption and transparency
of government institutions. The guarantee of the country as a reliable business
partner is an independent judiciary, pragmatic monetary and fiscal policy [4].
Undoubtedly, the purposeful implementation of a continuous anti-
corruption policy by the leadership of Singapore has transformed the economic
model with a developed infrastructure system and a high share of exports of
products
such
as
information
technology,
consumer
electronics,
pharmaceuticals and financial services. It follows that an important role in the
economic development of Singapore is played by foreign trade, which serves as
the main source of income for the country. Export helps the country to export
more than half of domestic products on the world market, to provide foreign
exchange earnings as a guarantor of socio-economic development.
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Undoubtedly, Singapore is a major player in international trade. According
to the World Trade Organization for 2021, the country ranked 14
th
in the world
in terms of exports and 15th in terms of imports. Singapore's exports in 2021
amounted to $363 billion, while imports amounted to $330 billion. Moreover, it
is important to highlight that Singapore's economy is one of the most open and
free from corruption; in 2021, the country ranks 37th among the largest
economies in the world, with a GDP of $397 billion. The country maintains stable
prices, and GDP per capita is one of the highest in the world - about 73 thousand
dollars [6,7].
We would like to highlight that the following features contributed to the
achievement of the above results and the strengthening of Singapore's economic
security:
- rational tax policy, attracting foreign entrepreneurs. Thus, the company's
income is taxed at a flat rate of 18%. There is a single-level system of taxation of
companies, which is a powerful tool for managing the economy in market
conditions;
- Singapore ranks 2nd in the world for ease of doing business. To register a
company, you need to go through 3 procedures, which will take no more than
2.5 days. The cost of registering a business is 0.6% of income per capita, and the
minimum authorized capital is 0;
- State support and a huge number of preferences for enterprises. Singapore
has concessional lending programs for small businesses, which provide for the
issuance of special loans and the provision of subsidies. Within the framework of
the iSPRINT program (a state project of financial support in the amount of 20
thousand dollars to cover the costs of acquiring advanced IT programs for
managing sales and finance, as well as hardware and software, etc.) in more than
5 thousand small and medium-sized companies’ business implemented
information and communication solutions;
- program of training and retraining of specialists. The state pays up to 90%
for training and retraining of personnel. The share of people with higher
education is more than 50%. Approximately 39% of the state budget is allocated
to finance the education system. At the same time, large national companies
widely use the experience of financing training and advanced training of their
personnel. Universities have good material and technical support and high
employment opportunities for graduates. The system of vocational education
includes vocational schools with a period of study from several months to 1-2
years, 5-year technical colleges for training personnel in 20 engineering
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specialties based on a 9-year school, as well as special training schools (1- and 4-
year);
- lack of a centralized public procurement system. Procurement is carried
out by individual ministries, departments and bodies provided for by law. This
policy is formulated by the Ministry of Finance, which seeks to ensure the
transparency and fairness of public procurement.
Having created favorable conditions for investment attractiveness, the
government of Singapore began to pay great attention to the technical
development of the country. Top research priorities as defined by the National
Research Foundation: biomedical sciences; environmental protection and water
treatment technologies: clean water and green energy; interactive and digital
media.
This, in turn, has made Singapore a world leader in innovation. So, the state
spent about 2% of GDP on research and development in 2020 [8].
Thus, Singapore was able to achieve a fruitful strengthening of the
economic security of the state through the political will of the leaders and
competent anti-corruption legislation, which ensured high people's trust in the
government. Trust is not only a barometer of the active participation of the
population in public administration, but also the most valuable asset of the
Singapore government, which has formed a high moral climate in the country's
society. Also, the systemic fight against corruption has become a catalyst in
increasing the economic potential, improving the image and authority of the
country in the international arena, which ensured the minimization or exclusion
of conditions that create both an incentive and the possibility of inducing a
person to commit corrupt acts.
References:
1.
Shurygin, F. F. Anti-corruption policy of the Republic of Singapore / F. F.
Shurygin. — Text: direct // Young scientist. - 2015. - No. 22 (102). - S. 681-691.
— URL: https://moluch.ru/archive/102/23444/
2.
Shurygin, F. F. Anti-corruption policy of the Republic of Singapore / F. F.
Shurygin. — Text: direct // Young scientist. - 2015. - No. 22 (102). - S. 681-691.
— URL: https://moluch.ru/archive/102/23444/
3.
Fundamentals of anti-corruption culture. Academy of Public
Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Astana 2016.
pp. 24-25. https://ksph.edu.kz/files
4.
https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2022
5.
World
Trade
Statistical
Review
2021.
https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/wts2021_e/wts2021_e.pdf
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6.
World Data. info. https://www.worlddata.info/largest-economies.php
7.
World Data. info. https://www.worlddata.info/largest-economies.php
8.
Analysis of the features of the economic development of the countries of
Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia). http://isrs.uz/ru/tahliliy-sharhlar/analiz-
osobennostej-ekonomiceskogo-razvitia-stran-uva-singapura-malajzii
