ICAC chief calls for international concerted efforts to combat graft and related crimes
2009-12-15
ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming today (Tuesday) called on jurisdictions the world over to launch a concerted campaign against corruption and economic crimes.
Speaking at the Fourth ICAC Symposium co-hosted with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) of the European Commission, Dr Tong said mutual assistance among jurisdictions was vital to the ongoing battle against corruption, but agencies must constantly revi ew and refine their perspectives and approaches if international efforts were to be fruitful.
Dr Tong also noted that with OLAF as the co-host, the partnership signified the European Commission’s commitment to the international campaign against corruption.
Hong Kong has entered into Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) agreements with 27 countries. Under these agreements, the ICAC and other jurisdictions had assisted each other on 13 occasions over the past two years.
Apart from MLA requests, the ICAC has also offered operational assistance to other jurisdictions and vice versa. This included identifying witnesses, locating and checking of business, and examination of immigration records. Since 2007, there have been 340 such requests.
Dr Tong said this year’s symposium –'96 “Deals Under the Table –'96 the Doing or Undoing of Business?” –'96 demanded a global vision of governments and their leaders rather than just considering the issue of dubious deals in individual companies, as globalisation had turned the world into one closely linked and complex dynamic economy clearly demonstrated by t he financial crisis.
“Our vigilance must never slacken, since it is now even more apparent that globalisation, together with technological advances, can allow the corrupt to mastermind complex frauds and scams across geographic boundaries with relative ease –'96 leaving fewer and fewer traces behind them,” he said.
Dr Tong pointed out that one of the practical issues that agencies could pursue was how to enhance cross-boundary cooperation in curbing money laundering, in particular, the laundering of illegal proceeds gained through corruption.
The three-day symposium was today opened by Acting Chief Executive Mr Henry Tang Ying-yen.
Mr Paul Roberts, Adviser to Mr Franz-Hermann Bruener, Director General of OLAF, delivered a welcoming remark for Mr Bruener, who was unable to attend the symposium.
Mr Bruener stressed that combating fraud and corruption was best tackled collaboratively. “The lack of transparency in business deals has provided the most fertile ground for corruption. Aggressive pursuit of markets, low ethical thresholds, and lack of self-regulation has contributed to financial collapses,” he said.
The symposium also featured a keynote address by Mr Akere Muna, Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Transparency International, who praised Hong Kong for its success in fighting corruption.
“Hong Kong has a sound legal framework, with checks and balances, and transparent procedures, a sophisticated anti-corruption strategy with equal focus on prevention, education and punishment,” he said.
The symposium was attended by about 400 delegates from 38 jurisdictions and international organisations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Iceland, Singapore, Japan, Transparency International, European Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Speaking at the Fourth ICAC Symposium co-hosted with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) of the European Commission, Dr Tong said mutual assistance among jurisdictions was vital to the ongoing battle against corruption, but agencies must constantly revi ew and refine their perspectives and approaches if international efforts were to be fruitful.
Dr Tong also noted that with OLAF as the co-host, the partnership signified the European Commission’s commitment to the international campaign against corruption.
Hong Kong has entered into Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) agreements with 27 countries. Under these agreements, the ICAC and other jurisdictions had assisted each other on 13 occasions over the past two years.
Apart from MLA requests, the ICAC has also offered operational assistance to other jurisdictions and vice versa. This included identifying witnesses, locating and checking of business, and examination of immigration records. Since 2007, there have been 340 such requests.
Dr Tong said this year’s symposium –'96 “Deals Under the Table –'96 the Doing or Undoing of Business?” –'96 demanded a global vision of governments and their leaders rather than just considering the issue of dubious deals in individual companies, as globalisation had turned the world into one closely linked and complex dynamic economy clearly demonstrated by t he financial crisis.
“Our vigilance must never slacken, since it is now even more apparent that globalisation, together with technological advances, can allow the corrupt to mastermind complex frauds and scams across geographic boundaries with relative ease –'96 leaving fewer and fewer traces behind them,” he said.
Dr Tong pointed out that one of the practical issues that agencies could pursue was how to enhance cross-boundary cooperation in curbing money laundering, in particular, the laundering of illegal proceeds gained through corruption.
The three-day symposium was today opened by Acting Chief Executive Mr Henry Tang Ying-yen.
Mr Paul Roberts, Adviser to Mr Franz-Hermann Bruener, Director General of OLAF, delivered a welcoming remark for Mr Bruener, who was unable to attend the symposium.
Mr Bruener stressed that combating fraud and corruption was best tackled collaboratively. “The lack of transparency in business deals has provided the most fertile ground for corruption. Aggressive pursuit of markets, low ethical thresholds, and lack of self-regulation has contributed to financial collapses,” he said.
The symposium also featured a keynote address by Mr Akere Muna, Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Transparency International, who praised Hong Kong for its success in fighting corruption.
“Hong Kong has a sound legal framework, with checks and balances, and transparent procedures, a sophisticated anti-corruption strategy with equal focus on prevention, education and punishment,” he said.
The symposium was attended by about 400 delegates from 38 jurisdictions and international organisations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Iceland, Singapore, Japan, Transparency International, European Investment Bank and Asian Development Bank.