ICAC chief unveils new initiative to enhance global anti-graft cooperation
Prominent business leader and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption (ACOC) Chow Chung-kong recently talked to the ICAC Post and shared his views on Hong Kong’s anti-corruption work and corporate governance.
Mr Chow, who has been chair of the ACOC since 2013, steered different organisations and enterprises in the past. As the society is exploring possibilities for Hong Kong’s economic development, the business leader stressed that safeguarding a clean society and level playing field was the key to enhancing Hong Kong’s competitive edge.
“Probity is the most critical factor contributing to the sustainable development of a society. Anti-corruption and business development are never at opposite poles. Instead, they complement each other,” Mr Chow said.
Hong Kong’s sound legal system and regulatory mechanism, as well as a corruption free society are some of the major pillars supporting the city as a global financial hub, attracting funds and talents from all over the world.
“If one needs to rely on personal connections or bribe others in doing business, I don’t think anyone would come here to invest. Prosperity can only be sustained by safeguarding a corruption-free society.”
Over the past 40 odd years, Hong Kong, once plagued by corruption, has emerged as one of the world's cleanest cities. Mr Chow praised the ICAC for making a fundamental change to the community’s culture and attitude towards corruption.
“I was 24 when the ICAC was established in 1974. Corruption was wide-spread in Hong Kong when I was growing up. Those days left a deep impression in my mind. People had to rely on “connections” or pay bribes when securing basic public services such as applying for licenses, requesting medical treatments at hospitals or admission to schools. Everyone hated being treated unfairly and social atmosphere was poor. The establishment of the ICAC was indeed great news for the general public.”
Mr Chow stressed that prevalent community support and public engagement, strong and continuous commitment of the government as well as a sound rule of law were indispensable for Hong Kong in winning the fight against corruption. He said the ICAC should keep strengthening preventive and integrity education for young people so that the probity culture could be passed on to future generations.
“Young people nowadays are privileged as they never experienced the bad old days of widespread corruption. We should keep reminding them of the importance of probity so as to make them stay alert at all times.”
In addition, Mr Chow believed that the ICAC should export its anti-graft experience to the international community.
“We are used to living in a clean society. When we travel or do business abroad, we don’t expect that we need to pay bribes in order to get things done.”
“We should share our experience with our counterparts, such as countries under the Belt and Road Initiative, help them build a level playing field for business which in return will also benefit Hong Kong.”
Mr Chow has chaired the ACOC for five years, an independent committee which ensures the ICAC discharges its anti-graft duties in an effective manner. Apart from channelling the public’s views to the ICAC’s management, Mr Chow also helped explain to the public Hong Kong’s anti-corruption strategies.
Mr Chow said one of his major tasks in his past tenure was to assist the ICAC in enhancing its internal governance and ensure the proper use of public funds in order to meet the public's expectation.
The ICAC’s robust and unique system of checks and balances has been highly praised. However, recent public sentiments have given rise to some different views. Mr Chow stressed that the ICAC’s current system of checks and balances had proved to be effective over the years. Although he did not rule out the possibility that some people might have criticized the system with political intents, he noted that nevertheless members of various advisory committees overseeing the ICAC’s work had kept an open mind and always strived to perform their duties.
“Like ICAC officers, all advisory committee members work with the same sense of mission. Regardless of their personal backgrounds, they always endeavour to offer their advice to the ICAC impartially. Meanwhile, a stringent mechanism of declaration of interests and confidentiality has been in place so as to ensure that nobody can interfere with the ICAC’s independent operation for personal gains.”
As a result of the ICAC’s continuous efforts, corporate governance is now high on the agenda in the business sector. Mr Chow, also chairman of the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX), said the ICAC, the HKEX and the business sector were close partners in the fight against corruption. In addition to supporting the ICAC in promoting business ethics, the HKEX and the business sector also strive to enhance corporates’ anti-corruption systems.
“There is a saying in Europe: Every village must have a church, a school and a policeman. Religion upholds the moral standard and education provides ethical training, while law enforcement fights crimes. This aptly describes the respective roles of the HKEX and the ICAC in promoting business ethics, implementing preventive education and enforcing the law.”
Mr Chow stressed that corporate governance was not only the collective responsibility of the board of directors and senior management, but also that of every individual.
“Integrity starts with individuals. Traditional Chinese wisdom says that we should be respectful and honest in our daily lives. I hope that every businessman and every citizen of Hong Kong can uphold such moral standard at all times.”
“Taking shortcuts may lead to brief moments of success. Only by upholding personal integrity and earning the trust of others can one enjoy a long-term success.”
To foster closer cooperation in the global fight against corruption, the ICAC is offering assistance to overseas anti-corruption agencies to help identify their training needs and map out tailor-made programmes for capacity building.
ICAC Commissioner Simon Peh, when meeting over 50 consular corps from 45 consulates in Hong Kong in an exchange session held earlier, said the overall corruption situation in the city was well under control. A number of international organisations continued to rate Hong Kong as one of the cleanest places in the world.
Mr Peh noted that under the “Belt and Road Initiative” and within the framework of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the ICAC had so far approached the heads of anti-corruption counterparts of three of the Belt and Road countries to offer assistance in capacity building and consultancy services.
To take this long-term commitment forward, the ICAC’s Centre of Anti-Corruption Studies, established for nearly 10 years, has been renamed as Centre of Anti-Corruption Studies and International Training to better reflect its new role. Dedicated officers from the ICAC’s three departments are deployed to the Centre to identify training needs and design training programmes for overseas counterparts on the basis of mutual needs.
The ICAC’s new initiative is not only open to anti-corruption agencies and stakeholders of the Belt and Road countries but also is available to all others who consider our proposal useful to them.
