Singaporeʼs Anti-Corruption Bureau is the oldest and perhaps the most effective in the world. It is an example for NABU. But there is a nuance that Ukrainians will definitely not like

Singaporeʼs Anti-Corruption Bureau emerged as a response to total corruption in the police

In the early 19th century, Singapore became a colony of Great Britain. The British turned it into a major trade and transport maritime hub connecting Asia and Europe. Singapore became a thriving port city. At the same time, corruption flourished, taking root in literally all areas.

In 1871, the British colonial government of Singapore officially declared corruption a crime. However, the law remained on paper and was almost never applied in practice. The next attempts to strengthen anti-corruption legislation were made in the 1930s and 1940s. At that time, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Singapore Police even created a small anti-corruption unit. But everything was again in vain.

All because Singaporeʼs law enforcement agencies had become the central link in this corrupt system since the 19th century. In addition to petty bribery for solving various issues, Singapore police officers covered up all the shady business — from drug trafficking and brothels to underground lotteries.

The turning point came in October 1951. Then, more than 800 kilograms of opium worth more than $300 000 were stolen in Singapore. The anti-corruption department quickly turned on its colleagues and superiors. It turned out that three police detectives were directly involved in the theft, and they acted, of course, with the consent of their superiors. However, it was not possible to collect sufficient evidence even with the intervention of the colonial government. Everything was limited to the dismissal of one mid-level officer.

Stunned by the failure of the anti-corruption department, the British decided in September 1952 to create a Bureau of Investigation for Corruption in Singapore, separate from the police, and subordinate to the Attorney-General. Its office was conspicuously set up in the Singapore Supreme Court building to emphasize the independence of the new structure from the police.

The precedent became historic, but in practice it remained rather declarative, like British anti-corruption laws in Singapore in general. The Bureau at that time consisted of only 13 officers. And the investigators who were supposed to work “in the fields” arrived on short-term business trips from various police departments.

The idea of an anti-corruption bureau was not abandoned with independence

In 1959, Singapore left British rule and became part of the Malayan Federation with broad self-governing autonomy. And in 1965 it became an independent state. The new government, headed by Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, wore white clothes, which were supposed to symbolize the purity and incorruptibility of its members.

At the same time, the Prime Minister declared zero tolerance for bribery and strengthened the independence and effectiveness of Singaporeʼs anti-corruption bureau. The main one was the Anti-Corruption Act of 1960. All subsequent additions over the next decades only strengthened the powers of anti-corruption officers.

Singaporean ministers in white, 1959.

National Archives of Singapore

Lee Kuan Yew after winning the 1959 election.

Getty Images / «Babel'»

Here are the main powers of the Singapore Anti-Corruption Bureau:

• The Bureau investigates bribery in all forms, both monetary and non-monetary, in both the public and private sectors.
• The Bureau can investigate corruption offences committed by Singapore citizens abroad as if they were committed on the territory of the state.
• The Bureau may conduct searches and arrests without a court order, solely on the basis of reasonable suspicion of involvement in corruption crimes.
• The Bureau can demand both a fine and imprisonment for each proven case of corruption.
• Any reward given or received by a person working for the government or a public body is considered corrupt without a presumption of innocence, so the suspect must deny everything himself.
• The convicted person may be ordered to reimburse the state for the amount of the proven bribe, regardless of the term of imprisonment.
• The personal data of whistleblowers who reported cases of corruption cannot be disclosed, even in court.
• The Bureau can recommend changes in the activities of any government agency if it identifies even potential corruption risks in its procedures.

In addition to its powers, the Bureauʼs staff was also expanded. Already in 1960, it moved to a new building, which became its headquarters for the next quarter of a century. The office was symbolically called the "White House" because of the pure intentions of the Bureauʼs employees, by analogy with the ruling party.

However, there was some confusion with the Bureauʼs accountability in the first post-colonial decade. First, it was removed from the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office and transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, then to the government, and later returned to the prosecutorʼs office.

And only in 1969 was it finally decided that the anti-corruption bureau would be accountable exclusively to the Prime Ministerʼs Office — in essence, the first person in the state. However, according to the law, the director of the Bureau has the right to appeal to the president if the prime minister blocks a case or if the investigation concerns the prime minister himself.

In the second half of the 1990s, another important step towards the independence of the Anti-Corruption Bureau took place. The staff was increased so that it could conduct all field operations on its own — searches, detentions, escorts, etc.

At the same time, courses in physical training, skills in detaining suspects, and handling weapons were introduced for the Bureauʼs employees.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau gradually became effective and gained public trust

The anti-corruption campaigners first took on the police. During the 1960s and 1970s, many high-profile cases took place. The most large-scale operation was “Chap Ji Ki”, during which the country’s largest illegal gambling syndicate was liquidated. At the same time, 67 police officers of various ranks who covered it were convicted.

Then they went after the top officials. The first high-profile case was the case of Environment Minister Wi Tun Boon. He received a bribe of over $600 000 and his own bungalow from an Indonesian developer for lobbying his interests at the state level.

Boon was sentenced to a fine and four and a half years in prison, later reduced to 18 months. This case raised the Bureauʼs rating in the eyes of the public. And at the same time, it added points to Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who gave the go-ahead for an investigation against his government official.

In November 1986, the director of the anti-corruption bureau came to the prime minister with suspicions of bribery against one of the countryʼs most famous and influential politicians, the Minister of National Development, Tae Cheng-wan. Lee Kuan Yew understood the reputational risks for the government, so he initially asked for an investigation to be conducted quietly.

Within a week, the anti-corruption bureau provided him with evidence that the minister had received almost $800 000 in bribes from developers. The prime minister agreed to a public investigation. And the minister did not wait for formal charges to be brought against him. He wrote a letter of repentance to the prime minister and committed suicide.

In general, the Singapore Anti-Corruption Bureau has a lot of successful cases against officials at various levels. In late 1979, the head of the National Congress of Trade Unions, Fai Yu Kok, was accused of embezzling union funds. He was released on bail and fled the country.

The Bureau waited 35 years until Kok surrendered to the Singaporean embassy in Thailand. In his homeland, he was sentenced to five years in prison. In 1994, the operations director of the Public Utilities Board, Choi Hon Tim, was caught taking a bribe of record value in Singaporeʼs history — almost $11 million. He was sentenced to 14 years.

Singapore surpasses Britain in the fight against corruption

Thanks to the Bureauʼs efforts, Singapore has consistently been among the top ten least corrupt countries in the world since 1995. And in 2024, it ranked first among the countries of the Asia-Pacific region and third in the world overall. The United Kingdom is twentieth in this ranking.

The current headquarters of the Bureau is a huge modern building, with offices, recreation areas, a museum of the history of the anti-corruption bureau and auditoriums for speeches to visitors. The Bureau has its own flag, logo, and merchandise.

A separate department is engaged in educational work, involving young people. For example, together with students, they create anti-corruption comics and video games. Bureau employees actively speak at international anti-corruption conferences and share their experience with other countries.

An anti-corruption comic created in collaboration between the Bureau and students from the Singapore Polytechnic School of Media, Arts and Design.

Getty Images / «Babel'»

The anti-corruption video game is a restaurant business simulator created by the Bureau in collaboration with students from the Nanyang University School of Design.

Getty Images / «Babel'»

Of course, the Bureau continues to focus on its main task — fighting corruption in all areas and at all levels. And even in the smallest ones, such as selectively checking football players on polygraphs for participation in fixed matches or monitoring the chefs of famous restaurants to ensure that they conduct transparent purchases of all products. Of course, they do not forget about top officials.

In 2024, Transport Minister Subramaniam Iswaran was exposed in corruption deals and sentenced to a year in prison. The investigation was approved by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who continued the tough anti-corruption policy of his father Lee Kuan Yew.

Minister Iswaran (center right) leaves the courthouse after one of the hearings in the corruption case against him, January 2024.

Getty Images / «Babel'»

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, 2022.

Getty Images / «Babel'»