POL353 End-of-Course Assessment

ECA Submission Deadline: Saturday, 31 October 2026 12:00 pm

(Full marks: 100)

Question 1

As of 2025, public sector corruption remained prevalent in Southeast Asia, with citizens of some regional states expressing frustration at the persistent trends of poor governance, weak institutions and limited accountability. Even Southeast Asian states that registered an improvement in the Corruptions Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025 as a result of structural reforms continued to score low in the CPI.

Based on the CPI 2025, choose two Southeast Asian states as case studies on corruption in the public sector — one state should show a decline in its corruption score while the other should show an improvement.

Identify what accounts for the decline of your first case study by discussing the forms and drivers of corruption, and show why this appears to be a perennial problem in your chosen state. Your analysis must clearly apply at least TWO key theoretical frameworks or core concepts covered in this course.

Thereafter, examine what specific initiatives the government and relevant stakeholders have implemented to prevent and combat corruption in your second case study. Conclude your argument by presenting a critique of how this state’s success could be considered a ‘limited success’.

(100 marks)