A survey by Saudi Arabia’s National Anti-Corruption Commission found that 67.8 percent of the respondents believe financial and state corruption is on the rise in the country.
Osman bin Salih al-Amir, a lecturer at Ha’il Teachers College, told Press TV the results also “show that 92.1 percent of Saudi nationals hold nepotism responsible for the spread of corruption in their country.”
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest oil exporter. The petroleum sector was first developed in 1933 and now accounts for roughly 80% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings.
The Saudi National Anti-Corruption Commission, a government body, runs a website with a whistleblower hotline.
Saudi Arabia is ruled by a hereditary monarchy. “To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide in September 2011 for half the members of 285 municipal councils — a body that holds little influence in the Saudi Government,” the CIA World Factbook said.
Job growth and welfare programs haven’t kept up with a population that grown from 6 million in 1970 to about 28 million today, according to Press TV.
“[C]orruption is so ingrained in Saudi Arabia’s royal family that despite the country’s enormous oil money, it struggles with problems such as poverty and unemployment,” the report said.
Some recent FCPA enforcement actions involving Saudi Arabia are Tyco (2012), Pfizer (2012), Pride (2010), BAE Systems (2010), and Control Components (2008).
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Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. He can be contacted here.
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