SINGAPORE - Singapore has moved up one position to rank 6th in a corruption perceptions index by graft watchdog Transparency International.

The Republic attained a score of 84 in its Corruption Perceptions Index for 2017.

This was the same as the country's score the year before, though it has now inched higher to share the 6th spot with Sweden.

Countries that took the top positions in the latest index include New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Switzerland.

In a statement on Thursday (Feb 22), Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) director Wong Hong Kuan noted that Singapore is recognised worldwide for its efficient and clean public service, and the incidence of public sector corruption here remains one of the lowest in the world.

The statement also noted that the corruption situation in Singapore remains under control.

Singapore was ranked as the least corrupt country in the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy's 2017 Report on Corruption in Asia - a position it has held since 1995.

Similarly, in the 2017-2018 Rule of Law Index compiled by the World Justice Project, the country was ranked 4th for absence of corruption, coming out as the top Asian nation out of 113 countries.

Said Mr Wong: "The CPIB will continue to fight corruption resolutely and safeguard the integrity of the Singapore public service."

In its index, TI measures countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. The 2017 index is based on 13 surveys covering expert assessments and views of business people.

Countries are then scored on a scale of zero, for highly corrupt, to 100, for very clean.