This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 29, 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesia, once a notoriously corrupt nation in the region, could soon outperform Malaysia in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), says the global anti-graft body’s Malaysian chapter.

Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Akhbar Satar said although Indonesia was ranked at 88, way below Malaysia’s 54th position, it has made double-digit leaps up the index in the past few years.

Malaysia’s ranking, in contrast, stagnated in the 49-55 range, between 2015 and 2012.

Launching the 2015 CPI results on Wednesday, Akhbar revealed that the republic improved by 19 spots from 2014 to sit at 88 among 168 countries.

Malaysia’s ranking has declined by four places since 2014.

Akhbar said the reason for Indonesia’s rapid rise was the strength and independence of its anti-graft agency and the overwhelming support it received from the public.

“We should follow Indonesia’s footsteps and use them as an example,” said Akhbar.

“Compared to Malaysians, the people of Indonesia have more will to fight corruption. They are willing to come forward to give information and to become witnesses in corruption cases.

“Malaysians are afraid because we don’t like to get into trouble. We love ourselves more than we love our country,” said Akhbar.

In 2013, Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was given the Ramon Magsaysay Award, widely touted as the “Asian Nobel Prize”.

Akhbar said it was another acknowledgement of Indonesia’s seriousness in battling graft.

TI-M deputy president Dr Loi Kheng Min said although Indonesia was currently ranked below Malaysia, focus should be given to its rate of progress.

When the index was first introduced in 1995, Indonesia was ranked last among 41 countries.

Its present position at 88 is the best it has achieved.

Loi said KPK’s independence could be used as an example to push for more reforms of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). — The Malaysian Insider