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SINGAPORE: The number of new corruption cases fell to 68 in 2025, the lowest since records began in 2010, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said on Tuesday (Apr 28).
This is seven fewer than the 75 cases recorded the previous year. According to its annual report released on Tuesday, the bureau also received 160 corruption-related reports in 2025, compared with 177 the year before.
A report is registered for investigation if the information received is pursuable, said the agency.
"This is determined by the quality of the relevant information provided," it added.
Investigative enquiries and intelligence probes by CPIB also uncovered further information that allowed a higher percentage of reports to be registered for investigation, the anti-graft agency said.
Of the 160 corruption-related reports last year, 56 were anonymous. Sixteen of the 68 cases registered for investigation were anonymous.
"CPIB treats all reports received seriously regardless of whether the complainant is named or anonymous," it said.
A majority of the cases it investigated last year involved the private sector. One case involved the public sector.
Last year, 90 people were prosecuted in court for offences investigated by CPIB. Of these, 84 were private sector individuals, while the remaining six were public sector employees.
The six public sector employees were from the National Environment Agency (NEA), the Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the Singapore Prison Service, St Anthony's Canossian Secondary School and St Joseph's Institution.
"Based on the cases of private sector employees prosecuted in court for corruption-related offences over the past 10 years, construction, manufacturing, transportation and storage were the main industries vulnerable to corruption," said CPIB.
Last year, 22 cases involved public sector employees who rejected bribes - they were officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the Land Transport Authority, NEA, the Singapore Police Force and an officer from Certis Cisco Aviation Security who was performing a public function.
INCREASED CONVICTION RATE
CPIB had a 100 per cent conviction rate for cases in 2025, excluding withdrawal cases.
The conviction rate stood at 91 per cent if withdrawal cases were included – these refer to cases that were withdrawn after the accused was charged in court and before any court decision was made.
This is an increase from 88 per cent in 2024.
CPIB said that from now on, it will only report the conviction rate that includes withdrawal cases to provide a more accurate representation of its success in securing convictions.
"The corruption situation in Singapore remains firmly under control," it said.
"The number of corruption-related reports received by CPIB, as well as the number of cases registered for investigation, remained low."
PUBLIC PERCEPTION
CPIB commissions a public perception survey annually to gauge the perceived level of corruption in Singapore, public understanding of corruption and the perception of the bureau's effectiveness in curbing corruption.
The 2025 survey was carried out by an independent research company and took in responses from 1,000 respondents representative of the Singapore population.
In the survey, 98 per cent of respondents rated the corruption situation in Singapore as good, very good or excellent.
"Political will to keep corruption under control, a zero-tolerance culture for corruption, and effective anti-corruption laws were cited as the top three factors contributing to the low corruption rate in Singapore," said CPIB.
It added that its enforcement action underscores Singapore's zero-tolerance approach towards corruption and ensures a level-playing field for businesses operating in Singapore and the wider community.
INTERNATIONAL STANDING
CPIB said that Singapore continues to be well-regarded internationally for its anti-corruption approach and efforts.
The 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International ranked Singapore as the world's third least corrupt country, with a score of 84 out of 100 - the same rank and score as the year before.
It was also the top-ranked country in the Asia-Pacific region.
In a 2025 report by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, Singapore received the best score among 16 economies in Asia, the US and Australia.
In the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index 2025, Singapore improved its ranking from third to second out of 143 countries for the absence of corruption in government.
A collective approach is key to corruption prevention, said CPIB, adding that it has intensified its efforts over the past year.
"CPIB remains steadfast in our mission to fight corruption and keep Singapore among the least corrupt countries in the world," it said.
"While the corruption situation remains firmly under control, recent cases remind us that corruption can easily take root if vigilance wanes."
