MANILA -- Political parties are essential components of democratic governance. Democracies require political parties as these offer the voter political choices at election time. They also represent and channel divergent social interests and diffuse them in what is typically a protracted political process. While the specific roles of political parties vary from one country to another, arguably no democratic system of government can do without them.
A recent survey published by Transparency International (TI), the leading global nongovernmental organization devoted to combating corruption, revealed disturbing news. In 36 of 62 countries surveyed, a majority of respondents thought of political parties as the most corrupt institution. Following political parties, parliaments, the police and the judiciary were perceived as the next most tainted.
Ten of 64 countries included in the survey are Asian. In accordance with the overall global tendency, a majority of respondents in India, Indonesia and Japan consider political parties to be the most corrupt institution.