Transparency International counts cost of corruption in Asia

A new survey by corruption watchdog Transparency International calculates the cost of graft in Asia, reports the BBC.

Here are the most interesting tidbits:

In China, the railway minister was fired over allegations he received huge bribes when handing out contracts for the country's impressive new high-speed rail network, the BBC said. State media reported that he allegedly embezzled more than 800m yuan ($121m; £75m).

Meanwhile, analysts estimate India lost about $40bn (£24.5bn) in revenue due to the alleged "2G telecom spectrum scam," which involved improper allocation of telecom licenses to shell companies, according to the Central Bureau of Investigation. 

India and China aren't the worst offenders, Transparency International says. But the BBC says the crime is particularly egregious in Asia "where millions are living below the poverty line, [and] corruption is inevitably a tax on those that are most vulnerable."