ICAC anti-graft symposium to bolster international co-operation
2000-11-13
Regular international forums on anti-graft issues would give a boost to the formation of a "Great Wall of Corruption Busters", the Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Mr Alan Lai Nin, said today (Monday).
Addressing more than 400 delegates from 35 jurisdictions at the Opening Ceremony of the First ICAC Symposium, Mr Lai noted that there was a need for a global platform for the exchanges of intelligence, experience, and investigative skills and other practi cal issues on the anti-corruption front.
"This is particularly pressing at an age when untold millions of dollars can change hands in a matter of seconds by punching a few computer keys," said Mr Lai.
A global platform held at a regular interval would be of tremendous value in effecting an esprit de corps among law enforcement officers of different social and cultural backgrounds, he said.
The three-day symposium, officiated by the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal Andrew Li Kwok-nang, is held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and will end on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mr Lai noted that corruption was becoming increasingly complex, sophisticated and globalised, and the phenomenon had been exacerbated by the rapid development in information technology.
"As a law enforcement agency, we see information technology both as a threat and a tool to our work," said Mr Lai, adding that the impact of information technology on anti-corruption work was made a major theme of the symposium.
Addressing one of the sessions, ICAC's Deputy Commissioner and Head of Operations Tony Kwok Man-wai, said the civil service in Hong Kong was in general clean, but lately there emerged a number of isolated cases of officers allegedly abusing their authorit y for suspected personal gains.
Initial thoughts of the Commission, Mr Kwok said, was to codify the common law offence of "misconduct in public office" in the form of "misuse of public office for personal gain". The ICAC is currently researching into the issue.
In determining the essential ingredients of the proposed statutory offence, Mr Kwok said it was proposed to emphasize that misuse in public office had to result in financial gain, either by himself, his relatives or business associates. Mere abuse or negl ect of duty should not result in prosecution, he added.
He added that adequate safeguards should also be built into such an offence, including the notions that the abuse or misuse of office had to be wilful; there should be a defence of "without lawful authority or reasonable excuse"; and similar to bribery of fences, prosecution should only be instituted with the consent of the Secretary for Justice.
The Symposium has attracted delegates from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Columbia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Macau, the Mainland, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States.
Also attending are representatives from the Asian Development Bank, Interpol, the United Nations and the World Customs Organisation.
Tomorrow (Tuesday), Microsoft's Senior Corporate Attorney of the Law and Corporate Affairs Department, Tom Robertson, will deliver a keynote speech . This will be followed by plenary sessions on information technology as a threat and tool to law enforceme nt agencies.
On the last day of the Symposium (November 15), Xu Jinhui, Deputy Director General, General Bureau of Anti-Corruption of the Supreme People's Procuratorate from the Mainland will deliver a keynote speech.
Addressing more than 400 delegates from 35 jurisdictions at the Opening Ceremony of the First ICAC Symposium, Mr Lai noted that there was a need for a global platform for the exchanges of intelligence, experience, and investigative skills and other practi cal issues on the anti-corruption front.
"This is particularly pressing at an age when untold millions of dollars can change hands in a matter of seconds by punching a few computer keys," said Mr Lai.
A global platform held at a regular interval would be of tremendous value in effecting an esprit de corps among law enforcement officers of different social and cultural backgrounds, he said.
The three-day symposium, officiated by the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal Andrew Li Kwok-nang, is held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and will end on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Mr Lai noted that corruption was becoming increasingly complex, sophisticated and globalised, and the phenomenon had been exacerbated by the rapid development in information technology.
"As a law enforcement agency, we see information technology both as a threat and a tool to our work," said Mr Lai, adding that the impact of information technology on anti-corruption work was made a major theme of the symposium.
Addressing one of the sessions, ICAC's Deputy Commissioner and Head of Operations Tony Kwok Man-wai, said the civil service in Hong Kong was in general clean, but lately there emerged a number of isolated cases of officers allegedly abusing their authorit y for suspected personal gains.
Initial thoughts of the Commission, Mr Kwok said, was to codify the common law offence of "misconduct in public office" in the form of "misuse of public office for personal gain". The ICAC is currently researching into the issue.
In determining the essential ingredients of the proposed statutory offence, Mr Kwok said it was proposed to emphasize that misuse in public office had to result in financial gain, either by himself, his relatives or business associates. Mere abuse or negl ect of duty should not result in prosecution, he added.
He added that adequate safeguards should also be built into such an offence, including the notions that the abuse or misuse of office had to be wilful; there should be a defence of "without lawful authority or reasonable excuse"; and similar to bribery of fences, prosecution should only be instituted with the consent of the Secretary for Justice.
The Symposium has attracted delegates from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Columbia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, Macau, the Mainland, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States.
Also attending are representatives from the Asian Development Bank, Interpol, the United Nations and the World Customs Organisation.
Tomorrow (Tuesday), Microsoft's Senior Corporate Attorney of the Law and Corporate Affairs Department, Tom Robertson, will deliver a keynote speech . This will be followed by plenary sessions on information technology as a threat and tool to law enforceme nt agencies.
On the last day of the Symposium (November 15), Xu Jinhui, Deputy Director General, General Bureau of Anti-Corruption of the Supreme People's Procuratorate from the Mainland will deliver a keynote speech.