Indonesia remains the most corrupt country in Asia, according to a new survey. The latest Asian Intelligence Report found Indonesia was regarded as the most corrupt of 13 Asia-Pacific countries listed for the sixth consecutive year.

Corruption flourished in Indonesia under former president Suharto, who ruled the country with an iron fist for more than 32 years. Successive governments have proved to be largely incapable of dealing with the problem.

Despite some corruption convictions over recent years, graft remains rampant in most state institutions. Pay-offs are allegedly required to secure approval from parliamentary commissions, while courts are regarded as auction houses, handing down verdicts to the highest bidders.

The Attorney General's Office is seen as being endemically corrupt, leaving the media to seek out the facts in graft cases. But there are increasing signs the government and top politicians are becoming intolerant of press freedom.

The chief editor of the popular Rakyat Merdeka newspaper is currently on trial over a caricature of convicted parliament speaker Akbar Tanjung.

Prosecutors earlier this month told a Jakarta court that Karim Paputungan, chief editor of Rakyat Merdeka, "had convincingly attacked Akbar's reputation and image" in the caricature published in January 2002.

Analysts say Tanjung's reputation and image were already irretrievably bad – precisely because he is a convicted criminal and his first appeal against his conviction was rejected. However, he remains free pending a second appeal.

Indonesia has long been rated as one of the world's most corrupt countries by Transparency International.

Asian Intelligence's survey said the Asia-Pacific's most corrupt countries are: Indonesia, followed by India, Vietnam, Thailand, China and the Philippines.

Singapore was rated the least corrupt country in the region, followed by Australia, the US and Hong Kong.