Singapore's corrupt practices investigations bureau: Guardian of public integrity

Abstract

Singapore's famous anti-corruption agency, the Corrupt Practices Investigations Bureau (CPIB) has been instrumental in rooting out endemic corruption in Singapore within a few decades. It has become a source of inspiration for governments in Asia and beyond. The institutionalization of the CPIB is closely intertwined with Singapore's success as a nation. It is hard to imagine Singapore's phenomenal economic growth would have been possible without the work of the CPIB. But how is it possible that this agency has won such extensive powers to fight corruption? This chapter shows that the agency is more than just an organization. It has become an institution. The agency has trumpeted and enforced values like fairness, meritocracy, and the rule of law, guarding them amidst turbulence for more than half a century.