Indonesia remains the most corrupt country in Southeast Asia, and the corruption is getting worse rather than better. That's the conclusion reached on the basis of a survey of more than 2,000 prominent business people.

The news comes as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono faces mounting pressure, with both his vice president and finance minister facing a criminal investigation into their role in a controversial bailout of ailing bank, Bank Century.

The annual poll conducted by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) puts Southeast Asia's biggest economy last in a table of regional economies, with a corruption score of 9.27 out of a worst possible 10. Cambodia was ranked the second most corrupt regional nation, followed by Vietnam and the Philippines. The least corrupt nation in the region is Singapore, followed by Australia and Hong Kong.

President Yudhoyono, a former general who first came to power in 2004, was re-elected in 2009 on promises to root out corruption, which riddles every aspect of Indonesian public life, from the courts to the customs agency.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian leader began an historic tour of Australia today. His visit is expected to help ease tensions and fight people-smuggling and extremism. Mr Yudhoyono - the first Indonesian leader to address a joint sitting of Australia's two houses of parliament - has been appointed an honorary companion of the Order of Australia for his efforts after the 2002 Bali bombings in which 88 Australians died. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called President Yudhoyono a friend of Australia and a champion of democracy in Indonesia.