ICAC faces heavy caseload despite less corruption reports
2004-12-21
The ICAC is facing a heavy caseload partly attributed to investigations arising from election complaints and the increasingly sophisticated, complicated cases that required in-depth investigation, says Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption (ACO C), Dr Raymond Ch'ien Kuo-fung today (Tuesday).
Despite a 14 per cent year-on-year drop in corruption reports to 3,450 in the first 11 months, the caseload rose three per cent to 1,916, Dr Ch'ien told a media briefing.
Meanwhile, 593 election-related complaints had been received as at the end of November. Of these, 468 related to the 2003 District Council Election, seven to the Village Representatives Election and 118 to 2004 Legislative Council Election.
“To cope with the heavy caseload and the increasingly sophisticated and transnational corruption crime, the ICAC will make better use of technology to enhance efficiency, upgrade officers’ professional skills and strengthen the partnership with overseas law enforcement agencies,” said Dr Ch’ien.
Co-hosting the annual media briefing today are Chairman of the Operations Review Committee (ORC), Dr Andrew Chuang Siu-leung; Chairman of the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC), Mr Barry Cheung Chun-yuen; and Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR), Mr Moses Cheng Mo-chi.
Dr Chuang said of the 3,450 reports received, 1,181, or 34 per cent, related to government departments while 265, or eight per cent, related to public bodies. The remaining 2,004 reports, or 58 per cent, related to the private sector.
He said the ORC was concerned with those complaints relating to the Housing Department and works departments as the majority of the complaints were related to corruption in the awarding of contracts and sub-standard works.
On cases involving disciplinary services, Dr Chuang said although the number of cases involving law enforcement personnel engaged in criminal activities remained small, members of the disciplinary services had to ensure exemplary conduct in order to maint ain public confidence.
He added that various disciplinary services had continued to work with the ICAC to eliminate corrupt elements within the services.
Meanwhile, in the first 11 months of the year, the total number of persons prosecuted had gone up to 443, an increase of 14 per cent from 388 last year.
Dr Chuang further disclosed that the ORC had referred to the Civil Service Bureau and government departments cases involving 120 civil servants alleged of malpractice such as the misuse of authority, having obtained unauthorized loans, unauthorised accept ance of gifts and entertainment as well as gambling, for consideration of disciplinary or administrative action.
The ORC Chairman also urged the finance and insurance sector, which had attracted 158 complaints with 43 persons being prosecuted in the past 11 months, to adopt a proactive approach to strengthen internal governance and risk management.
Commenting on recent cases involving companies alleged of corruption and related offences, ACOC Chairman, Dr Ch'ien, said the ICAC, local regulators and the Mainland authorities would work closely together to ensure effective law enforcement and help prom ote good corporate governance.
CPAC Chairman, Mr Cheung, said the Corruption Prevention Department (CPD) had completed two studies respectively for the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and the Securities and Futures Commission on listing procedures with recommendations being ma de to tighten the system especially in the area of conflict of interest.
CACCR Chairman, Mr Cheng, added that the Community Relations Department (CRD) had visited 337 listed companies under the two-year Business Ethics Promotion Programme and provided assistance in reviewing or formulating code of conduct and staff training.
The CRD had also been joining hands with various professional bodies, including the Hong Kong Institute of Directors and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, in promoting professional ethics.
With the tourism industry booming and the impending completion of major attractions such as the Hong Kong Disneyland, Mr Cheng said CRD had organised ethical training seminars for practitioners in the hotel, travel and retail industries under a three-year business ethics programme.
In the coming year, the CPD would also work with the hotel industry to organise a major seminar to promulgate best practices, said CPAC chairman, Mr Cheung.
He added that the CPD had also advised the English Schools Foundation (ESF) on staff administration as well as letting and administration of works contracts. Two other corruption prevention studies on ESF’s student admission and procurement procedures were in the pipeline.
The Department had completed 96 assignment studies on government systems and procedures, and offered corruption prevention advice to private companies on over 300 occasions in the past 11 months.
Looking ahead, Mr Cheung said CPD would work with the Government Logistics Department to enhance purchasing procedures in government departments. It would also advise those organisations in charge of disbursing public funds in relation to subsidised trai ning schemes.
To foster an ethical culture in government departments, CRD and the Civil Service Bureau had visited 25 departments under the Civil Service Integrity Entrenchment Programme launched earlier this year.
Despite a 14 per cent year-on-year drop in corruption reports to 3,450 in the first 11 months, the caseload rose three per cent to 1,916, Dr Ch'ien told a media briefing.
Meanwhile, 593 election-related complaints had been received as at the end of November. Of these, 468 related to the 2003 District Council Election, seven to the Village Representatives Election and 118 to 2004 Legislative Council Election.
“To cope with the heavy caseload and the increasingly sophisticated and transnational corruption crime, the ICAC will make better use of technology to enhance efficiency, upgrade officers’ professional skills and strengthen the partnership with overseas law enforcement agencies,” said Dr Ch’ien.
Co-hosting the annual media briefing today are Chairman of the Operations Review Committee (ORC), Dr Andrew Chuang Siu-leung; Chairman of the Corruption Prevention Advisory Committee (CPAC), Mr Barry Cheung Chun-yuen; and Chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations (CACCR), Mr Moses Cheng Mo-chi.
Dr Chuang said of the 3,450 reports received, 1,181, or 34 per cent, related to government departments while 265, or eight per cent, related to public bodies. The remaining 2,004 reports, or 58 per cent, related to the private sector.
He said the ORC was concerned with those complaints relating to the Housing Department and works departments as the majority of the complaints were related to corruption in the awarding of contracts and sub-standard works.
On cases involving disciplinary services, Dr Chuang said although the number of cases involving law enforcement personnel engaged in criminal activities remained small, members of the disciplinary services had to ensure exemplary conduct in order to maint ain public confidence.
He added that various disciplinary services had continued to work with the ICAC to eliminate corrupt elements within the services.
Meanwhile, in the first 11 months of the year, the total number of persons prosecuted had gone up to 443, an increase of 14 per cent from 388 last year.
Dr Chuang further disclosed that the ORC had referred to the Civil Service Bureau and government departments cases involving 120 civil servants alleged of malpractice such as the misuse of authority, having obtained unauthorized loans, unauthorised accept ance of gifts and entertainment as well as gambling, for consideration of disciplinary or administrative action.
The ORC Chairman also urged the finance and insurance sector, which had attracted 158 complaints with 43 persons being prosecuted in the past 11 months, to adopt a proactive approach to strengthen internal governance and risk management.
Commenting on recent cases involving companies alleged of corruption and related offences, ACOC Chairman, Dr Ch'ien, said the ICAC, local regulators and the Mainland authorities would work closely together to ensure effective law enforcement and help prom ote good corporate governance.
CPAC Chairman, Mr Cheung, said the Corruption Prevention Department (CPD) had completed two studies respectively for the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and the Securities and Futures Commission on listing procedures with recommendations being ma de to tighten the system especially in the area of conflict of interest.
CACCR Chairman, Mr Cheng, added that the Community Relations Department (CRD) had visited 337 listed companies under the two-year Business Ethics Promotion Programme and provided assistance in reviewing or formulating code of conduct and staff training.
The CRD had also been joining hands with various professional bodies, including the Hong Kong Institute of Directors and the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, in promoting professional ethics.
With the tourism industry booming and the impending completion of major attractions such as the Hong Kong Disneyland, Mr Cheng said CRD had organised ethical training seminars for practitioners in the hotel, travel and retail industries under a three-year business ethics programme.
In the coming year, the CPD would also work with the hotel industry to organise a major seminar to promulgate best practices, said CPAC chairman, Mr Cheung.
He added that the CPD had also advised the English Schools Foundation (ESF) on staff administration as well as letting and administration of works contracts. Two other corruption prevention studies on ESF’s student admission and procurement procedures were in the pipeline.
The Department had completed 96 assignment studies on government systems and procedures, and offered corruption prevention advice to private companies on over 300 occasions in the past 11 months.
Looking ahead, Mr Cheung said CPD would work with the Government Logistics Department to enhance purchasing procedures in government departments. It would also advise those organisations in charge of disbursing public funds in relation to subsidised trai ning schemes.
To foster an ethical culture in government departments, CRD and the Civil Service Bureau had visited 25 departments under the Civil Service Integrity Entrenchment Programme launched earlier this year.