TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transparency International, a global civil society organization based in Berlin, released the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) and placed Singapore in fifth place, the only Asian country in the top 10 of the least corrupt countries in the world.

The CPI ranks 180 countries and territories worldwide by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, with a score ranging from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).

According to Transparency.org.au, the world is facing weakening justice systems, which reduces the accountability of public officials and fosters corruption.

Transparency International Indonesia also revealed on its website that Indonesia’s CPI has been trending downward for the past five years under the leadership of Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. The score was 40 in 2019 and plunged to 34 in 2022 and 2023, ranking 115th out of 180.

The CPI shows that many countries have made little or no progress in the fight against corruption. This is evident from the global average score of only 43, with over two-thirds of countries scoring below 50.

The following is a list of the top ten least corrupt countries in the world in 2023, according to Transparency International:

1. Denmark

With a score of 90 out of 100, Denmark tops the list and has been in this position for many years, at least for the past five years.

2. Finland

Finland stays close to its neighbor, Denmark, with a score of 87, and its position has not changed from the previous year.

3. New Zealand

New Zealand, an island nation in Oceania, ranks third. Its CPI score drops to 85 from 83 last year.

4. Norway

One of the Scandinavian countries stays in fourth place with a CPI score of 84.

5. Singapore

Singapore is the only Asian country in the top ten cleanest countries from corruption since the index was first published in 1995. The island earned a CPI score of 83 and remained in the fifth place.

6. Sweden

Sweden is another European country that has succeeded in eliminating corrupt practices. It received a score of 82 and was ranked sixth.

7. Switzerland

Just like Sweden, Switzerland also received a CPI score of 82. This result is not surprising, as Switzerland has been a high-scoring country year after year.

8. The Netherlands

The Netherlands has a good CPI score of 79 and was the eighth least corrupt country in the world.

9. Germany

Formerly divided into East and West Germany, Germany scored 78, just one point behind the Netherlands.

10. Luxembourg

With a CPI score of 78, this small country in continental Europe matches Germany's score, making it the tenth least corrupt country in the world, according to Transparency International.

ANANDA RIDHO SULISTYA

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